Cabo Verde has awarded boxer David de Pina in recognition of his achievements. This athlete won the bronze medal in the 51 kg category, which is a historic achievement for the country.
The President of the Republic decreed that the athlete be awarded the Medal of Merit of the First Class, emphasizing the need to give due honor to the national boxer David de Pina for his significant achievement, which raised the name of Cabo Verde to the highest level.
The decree also notes that David de Pina's success, hailing from Santa Cruz, Santiago island, was not only the realization of a personal dream achieved through 'great sacrifices and overcoming,' but also an affirmation of the values of excellence and resilience.
The Olympic medal was perceived as a second embodiment of the aspiration that fueled the entire nation, surpassing the personal dream of the athlete from Santa Cruz.
David de Pina became the first Cape Verdean athlete to reach the Olympic podium, winning bronze at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. This occurred despite losing in the semi-finals to Uzbek Hasangboy Dusmatov, as both losers at this stage receive the same medal in boxing.
Portugal was one of the countries that invited David Pina to represent it after the first Olympic medal for Cabo Verde in Paris 2024, but the athlete stated that he intends to represent the archipelago 'until death'.
After being honored in the city of Praia with the 1st degree Medal for sporting achievements in August 2024, the boxer reported that after receiving their medal, he received offers from many nations that highly valued his performance in Paris.