Last Saturday the Spanish basketball team made up of players over 45 years old won the XII European Veterans Championship after winning in a thrilling final against the host team, Italy.
The winning team is made up of Spanish players from Calpe and Altea and Ukrainian residents in both cities. In fact, the Spanish team's jersey bore the slogan CALPE- ALTEA- KIEV, a clear reference to the players' origin.
The Spanish team's championship was flawless, with victories in the three qualifying matches against Great Britain, Italy B and Poland. In the semi-finals, they faced Greece in a tough match that they won by 10 points. In the final, Spain beat a professional team from Italy with a score of 90-81. This Italian team had players of the stature of Corvino, Abbio (former Pamesa Valencia player) and Rambaldoni (silver medallist at the 2004 Athens Olympics).
The basketball level in this championship was very high. The Spanish +45 team showed great skill and cohesion in the game, which allowed them to win the gold medal.
Among the European Champions are the Intendant of the Calpe Police, Juan Antonio Sánchez, and the Police Officer, Ruben Marín, as well as well-known players such as Antonio Prieto or Miguel Ráez, and the Ukrainian Víctor Savchenko. The winning team will be received in the next few days by the Mayoress of Calpe, Ana Sala.