The Cantabrian forward Fernando Saint
Emeterio received an emotional tribute this Friday after announcing his retirement on Thursday at an event in the pavilion of the Fuente de San Luis organized by the Valencia Basket, a club in which he has played the last six seasons and was attended by the Spanish team, with which he won five medals.
With the Fonteta as a stage, the national team squad, their coach Sergio Scariolo and some of his colleagues in the Valencia, Saint
Emeterio He was also accompanied by his family and some friends.
In the act, Saint Emeterio received recognition from players, coaches, friends and family, in some cases live and in others by video.
Victor Luengo, Sam Go
Rossom, Sergio Scariolo, Rafa
Martinez, Antonio Martin, Victor Claver, Guillem do you live or Joan Tailor, among others, dedicated words of recognition and praise to both the person and the athlete.
“You have achieved it, you have made me cry, even my daughter. Who was going to tell that child who starts playing at home and whose grandfather made a ring for him and put it on a door that was going to be 20 years in the ACB and that he was going to play 109 games for the national team, but none of that would have been possible without an environment and a family, “he said. Saint
Emeterio.
“I want to thank my father for his common sense, it is something that I have sucked and it is part of my success and thanks to him I have earned respect. From you, mother, I have learned never to give up, to surpass myself” added Saint
Emeterio, who thanked his wife for betting and leaving everything for him and for giving him the best of their lives: Daniela (his daughter).
Saint
Emeterio, who could not avoid tears at various times in the afternoon, received from Victor Claver the national team’s jersey with the number 19 and his name on the back, while Luengo announced that next season the former player will be part of the coaching staff of the Valencia Basket.
What’s more, Fernando
Calatrava, representative of the Spanish referees (AEBA), gave a gift of recognition to the athlete and the person of Fernando Saint
Emeterio.
The event closed with a photo with his family and with everyone present in the stands standing and giving a loud applause to the charismatic Cantabrian player.
Saint
Emeterio announced on Thursday his retirement as a professional player after twenty seasons in the elite of Spanish basketball and being the fourteenth player who has played the most minutes in the League ACB of its history.
After his debut with the Forum Philatelic from Valladolid, passed through the Girona and the Baskonia, before reaching the Valencia, with which he conquered the ACB of 2017, the Super Cup of that year and the Eurocup 2019. Previously, he had won the FIBA Eurocup with the Catalan team and a Cup of the King, a Super Cup and the league ACB 2010 with the Basque team.