The Madeira Island, known as the birthplace of Cristiano RONALDO, had already recognized its most famous footballer by naming its airport after him—Cristiano Ronaldo International Airport. Now, the island extends this tradition of honoring its sports icons by naming a new sports venue after Marcos FREITAS, one of the greatest Portuguese table tennis players.
This parallel between Cristiano RONALDO and Marcos FREITAS highlights how Madeira continues to celebrate its most accomplished athletes, acknowledging their impact on the international stage and inspiring future generations. This initiative reinforces Madeira’s reputation as a land of champions, recognizing those who have brought pride to the region through their outstanding achievements.
The new Gimnodesportivo Sports Hall in Estreito de Câmara de Lobos has been named after Marcos FREITAS, the Portuguese star who was born there and started his career representing the local club.
The inauguration ceremony took place this Saturday and was attended by prominent figures from the sports and political scene, including the President of the Portuguese Table Tennis Federation, Fernando MALHEIRO, the President of the Regional Government of Madeira, Miguel ALBUQUERQUE, the Interim President of Câmara de Lobos Municipality, Sónia PEREIRA, and the President of GD Estreito, Sónia SILVA.
Marcos FREITAS expressed his gratitude for this tribute, saying:
“This is a great honor. This truly is the recognition of a long career and the great achievements I have accomplished.”
GD Estreito President Sónia SILVA emphasized the significance of opening this facility in a parish “where athletes are king,” expressing confidence that the sports hall will contribute to the development of new talents. Likewise, Sónia PEREIRA, interim president of Câmara de Lobos Municipality, described the tribute as “well-deserved recognition for Marcos FREITAS, an ambassador of our region who has carried the name of Câmara de Lobos beyond borders.”
During the ceremony, Marcos FREITAS gifted Miguel ALBUQUERQUE a signed jersey and a table tennis racket, while he himself received a token of appreciation from the Portuguese Table Tennis Federation, presented by Fernando MALHEIRO.
Throughout his career, Marcos has collected multiple medals in the European Games, European Championships, and Europe Top-16 tournaments, solidifying his place among the sport’s elite.
In the European Games, Marcos FREITAS won a gold medal in the team event in Baku in 2015. He later secured a silver medal in the singles event in Kraków-Małopolska in 2023 and a bronze medal in the team competition in Minsk in 2019.
In the European Championships, he became a gold medalist in doubles in Gdansk-Sopot in 2011 and later added another gold in the team event in Lisbon in 2014. He earned silver medals in the singles event in Ekaterinburg in 2015 and in the team event in Luxembourg in 2017 and Nantes in 2019. His career also includes multiple bronze medals: in doubles in Saint Petersburg in 2008, in the team event in Gdansk-Sopot in 2011, in singles in Warsaw in 2020, and in the team event in Malmö in 2023.
FREITAS was also junior and cadet champion at the European Youth Championships in singles and reached the seventh position at the World Rankings in 2015.
In the prestigious Europe Top-16 tournament, he claimed the gold medal in singles in Lausanne in 2014. He also won silver medals in singles in Baku in 2015 and Thessaloniki in 2021, as well as a bronze medal in Montreux in 2024.
