This was the 19th edition of the Sopar d’Esport Solidari Internacional (ESI) at the Sofía hotel in Barcelona

On the night of March 15, the Sofía hotel hosted a new edition of the Sopar d'Esport Solidari Internacional (ESI), a gala that Josep Maldonado has been organizing for 19 years and which in this edition awarded the writer and Paralympic athlete Irene Villa, the athlete Álex Roca and the missionary Lilián Omari.

Oliver Thansan
Oliver Thansan
16 March 2024 Saturday 11:09
15 Reads
This was the 19th edition of the Sopar d’Esport Solidari Internacional (ESI) at the Sofía hotel in Barcelona

On the night of March 15, the Sofía hotel hosted a new edition of the Sopar d'Esport Solidari Internacional (ESI), a gala that Josep Maldonado has been organizing for 19 years and which in this edition awarded the writer and Paralympic athlete Irene Villa, the athlete Álex Roca and the missionary Lilián Omari. The three, along with more than 300 guests, applauded the performances of Gipsy Kings, Tamara and Chico Castillo.

Irene Villa, with several golds in adapted alpine skiing, will celebrate her first year of engagement to David Cerrato in May. “It has been a wonderful year except for my father's admission for acute pancreatitis, but for everything else, ten: my children, David, my books... And skiing. Tomorrow I'm going to Sierra Nevada, where I continue training.” The journalist and psychologist says that this year, a leap year, she will bring him luck at her wedding.

Cayetano Martínez de Irujo has a long history in equestrian – in fact, he comes from a competition in Vejer (Cádiz) – and has been president of the International Riders Club and is considering running for president of the Royal Equestrian Federation. His supportive side fills him almost as much, even though he knows himself less: “To the best of my ability, I try to follow my mother's example.” The Duke of Arjona has welcomed families from Syria, Afghanistan and Africa. “These are things that are done but not said.”

Justo Molinero continues to have the doors of Radio TeleTaxi open for Isabel Pantoja: they were friends for many years but he also fell by the wayside of the tonadillera. “She has forgotten me but I love her, despite everything. Isabel, if you read me, come to the station to present your new album.” Miriam Díaz Aroca is all happiness: because her role as an emotional coach is going from strength to strength and because next week she celebrates 30 years of her shared Oscar for Belle Époque and remembers when that night she was able to kiss her idol, Clint Eastwood: “I was staring at him to the back of his head and turned around. I walked through the crowd and asked him in English if he could kiss him. And it happened.”