The El Chorrillo pavilion proudly displays its new name since last Friday evening: Leticia Batista Sports Pavilionin honor of the renowned gymnast from El Rosarioalma mater of Club Batistana Tenerife together with her sister and coach, Jackelín Batista, making it one of the most successful rhythmic gymnastics clubs in Spain.
The mayor of El Rosario, Escolástico Gil, and the Vice President of the Government of the Canary IslandsRomán Rodríguez, presided over a very emotional act, with which the unanimous agreement of the Plenary of the City Council was fulfilled to designate the El Chorrillo pavilion with the name of Leticia Batista, becoming the first municipal facility of El Rosario to which name a woman
In this sense, Gil said that the event held last Friday was “an acknowledgment that surely arrives late for so many other brave, winning and strong women who also deserved it in another time, but who were never taken into account before. Today (on Friday), we vindicate all of them in this act.
«Leticia, you are an example and the mirror in which all those girls look, who make up the Batistana quarry. Many of them, also residents of our municipality, with your same dreams to fulfill and your passion for this sport. A sport that is mentally and physically demanding out of the ordinary and that, as always, unfortunately, is often relegated to the background, without us giving it the importance we should,” he said at another point in his speech, during the who also congratulated her and the rest of the team for the recent gold obtained in the Spanish Cup.
For his part, the regional vice president, Román Rodríguez, stressed the importance of “recognizing thosewomen who carry the values of honor and sporting demand to the highest levels.” For this reason, she congratulated the mayor of Rosario for “promoting this type of distinction and giving visibility to women athletes like Leticia, who are an example for so many girls and young people.”
Leticia Batista, who had previously inaugurated the new tapestry with a solo performance, thanked his family, friends and authorities for the honor given. «I was born and raised in this municipality. I had the opportunity to inaugurate this pavilion 16 years ago, today I find myself with this recognition that will accompany me for the rest of my life. I would love to go back and give a hug to that 14-year-old girl who never stopped dreaming,” she said, visibly moved.
The first mayor of Rosario delivered a commemorative metope to Leticia Batista and three bouquets of flowers for the gymnast, for her sister and coach Jackelín Batista and for their mother Soledad Negrín and it was time for the performances of various Club Batistana teams.
Among other authorities, the General Director of Sports of the Government of the Canary Islands, Manolo Lopez; the insular director of Sports of the Cabildo de Tenerife, Ángel Pérez, and the president of the Canarian Federation of Rhythmic Gymnastics, Ana Margarita Cabrera, as well as the members of the local Corporation and many members of the sports clubs of the municipality, especially, such as It is logical, from Club Batistana El Rosario.
The act of designation of the new name of the pavilion also served for the coming-out of the aesthetic renovation and the new technical characteristics of a pavilion inaugurated in 2006 and which now has new LED lighting, solar panels to improve the energy efficiency of the facility, a renovated playing surface and a renewed mat for practicing sports gymnastics that premiered, how could it be otherwise, Leticia Batista.
During the celebration, they also delivered commemorative plaques to the five clubs of El Rosario that use the Leticia Batista pavilion as a venue for their training sessions and matches or competitions: Tenzul El Rosario Badminton Club, CD Basketball Naismit El Rosario, CD FV Elite Voley, CD Amadeus Basketball 2020 and Club Batistana El Rosario.
The finishing touch to the night was the family photo, already outside the completely renovated pavilion with photographs of athletes from the municipality, and the lighting of the illuminated sign that leaves no room for doubt: Leticia Batista Sports Pavilion.