In the 14th edition of the FADU Sports Gala, medalists from the World University Games and the European University Championships were celebrated, and awards were given for Female Athlete of the Year, Male Athlete of the Year, Coach of the Year, and Team of the Year.

Individual student-athletes were rewarded and honored for their outstanding performance in the 2023 European University Championships organized by the European University Sports Association (EUSA) and various local organizing committees.

It was an excellent year for Portuguese university sports, and recognition was given to those who achieved success (including some records) in the 2022/2023 season. With 7 medals (3 golds and 4 silvers), a record for Portugal in the World University Games held in Chengdu, China, and 23 medals in the European University Championships.

The event was attended by the President of FADU Portugal University, Ricardo Nora, who praised the achievements of university sports in the past year, especially in the World University Games, the President of the Portuguese Institute of Sport and Youth (IPDJ), Vítor Pataco, and the Director-General of Higher Education, Joaquim Mourato.

Additionally, one day before the Gala, the General Assembly of the Academic Federation of University Sports (FADU) took place in the Auditorium of the Student Hub at the University of Coimbra. The purpose was to formalize the inauguration of the elected and appointed delegates, constituting the General Assembly for 2022-2024, and also to vote on the Activities and Budget Plan for 2024. Thus, the Activities and Budget Plan (PAO) of FADU for 2024 was presented and properly approved with the majority of votes in favor of the delegates present. The location of the next General Assembly, which will take place in the Algarve, along with the Academic Association of the University of the Algarve, was also voted on.

The awardees:

Athletes of the Year: João Coelho, from the University of Lisbon, and Mariana Machado, from the University of Minho, both in athletics.

Coach of the Year: Bruno Fernandes, coach of the women's futsal team at the University of Lisbon.

Team of the Year: Women's futsal team of the University of Lisbon.

In addition to the trophies awarded to the best of the year, the University Club Trophy was presented to the University of Porto, and the 'Ethics in Sports' Research Award from PNED went to Phillipe Marracho from the University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro. The Sports Ethics in University Sports award, instituted by FADU since 2012, went to the Students' Union of the University of Madeira and the Basketball Association of Madeira.

All the awardees

Best Male Athlete of the Year: João Coelho (AEFA)

Best Female Athlete of the Year: Mariana Machado (AAUMinho)

Coach of the Year: Bruno Fernandes (AEIST) | Women's Futsal Coach

Team of the Year: AEIST Women's Futsal

TUC - University Club Trophy: University of Porto

Award - "Challenge the Numbers!" Campaign: NOVA University of Lisbon

Honored for their performance in the World University Games:

Athletics - João Coelho, AEFA

Athletics - Eliana Bandeira, IPLeiria

Athletics - Décio Andrade, U.Miami

Athletics - Mariana Machado, AAUMinho

Swimming - Camila Rebelo, AAC

Swimming - Gabriel Lopes, AAC

Honored for their performance in the European University Championships:

Karate - Natacha Costa Fernandes, AEFML/ULisboa

Karate - Maria Carolina Gabriel Cardoso, Mariana Morais Valadares de Mendonça Gomes, and Telma Franco da Silva, U.Porto

Rowing - Antónia Soares Fernandes and Inês Leite Oliveira, AAC/UC

Rowing - André Filipe Reisinho Ferreira, Francisco Soares Vale Guimarães Silveira, João Pedro Valente de Passos, José Manuel Pereira de Medeiros Pontes, and Tomás Soares Vale Guimarães Silveira, AAUAv/UA

Rowing - Duarte Monteiro de Castro and Paulo Miguel Jesus Coutinho Santos Fidalgo, U.Porto

Judo - Beatriz Filipa Querido Moreira, AAC/UC

Kickboxing - Mafalda Sofia Teles Roque, AEISCTE-IUL

Kickboxing - Ana Sofia Machado da Cunha Oliveira, AAUMinho/UMinho

Kickboxing - Luiz Cláudio Miranda Alexandre, AAUMinho/UMinho

Kickboxing - Francisco Silvestre Dias Frade, AAUE/UE

Taekwondo - Carolina de Almeida Rodrigues da Costa, AEICS/UCP-CRP

Taekwondo - Sara Alexandra da Silva Vital, U.Porto

Taekwondo - Henrique Cortes Lopes da Luz, AEIST/ULisboa

Taekwondo - Leonor Reimão Correia, ISLA Gaia

Taekwondo - Mafalda Barbosa Pacheco Soares, NOVA

Taekwondo - Tomás Domingos Teixeira, AAIPS/IPS

Handball - Officials, AAUMinho/UMinho

Football 7 - Diana Alexandra Simões de Oliveira and Alexandre Silva, AAC/UC

Futsal - Bruno Fernandes, AEIST/ULisboa

Table Tennis - Gonçalo Afonso Freitas Sousa Ramos Gomes, José Miguel Lima Magalhães, and Pedro Miguel Carvalho Moreira, U.Porto