Antonio Jesús Martín facts for kids
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| Nationality | Spanish | ||||||||||||||||
| Born | 22 April 1982 (age 43) Málaga, Spain |
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| Country |  Spain |
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| Sport | 5-a-side football | ||||||||||||||||
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Medal record
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Antonio Jesús Martín Gaitán (born on April 22, 1982) is a famous Spanish 5-a-side footballer. He has a vision impairment, meaning he cannot see. Antonio is known as a B1 type sportsperson, which means he is completely blind.
He has proudly represented Spain in the Paralympic Games three times. He competed in the 2004 Summer Paralympics, 2008 Summer Paralympics, and 2012 Summer Paralympics. Antonio has won two bronze medals for his country, one in 2004 and another in 2012.
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About Antonio Martín
Antonio Martín was born in Málaga, Spain, on April 22, 1982. He is completely blind, which is why he plays in the B1 category for sports. People sometimes call him 'El Niño', which means 'The Kid' in Spanish.
In 2005, Antonio went to university to study business. Later, in 2013, he received a special award. It was the bronze Real Orden al Mérito Deportivo, a high honor for sports achievements in Spain.
Playing 5-a-side Football
Antonio Martín is a very skilled 5-a-side football player. This sport is played by athletes with vision impairments.
In 2005, Antonio played in the national championship. His team finished in first place. They won again in 2006. When he played for ONCE Málaga in 2005, his team came in second in their league.
Playing for Spain
Antonio has had a very successful career playing for the Spanish national team.
Early Championships
- In 1999, Spain won the European Championships held in Portugal.
- At the 2000 World Championships in Spain, his team finished third.
- In 2002, Spain came in second at the World Championships in Brazil.
- At the 2003 European Championships in Britain, his team won first place. Antonio was the top goal scorer in that competition!
Paralympic Games and More
Antonio played 5-a-side football at the 2004 Summer Paralympics in Athens. His team won a bronze medal. They beat Greece with a score of 2–0.
In 2005, Spain won the European Championships held in their home country. That year, UEFA (the European football organization) named Antonio the best player in Europe. At that time, he had played 46 games for Spain.
At the 2006 World Championships in Argentina, his team finished fourth. In 2007, he competed in the European Championships, where his team won first place. That same year, his team finished third in the World Championships.
Antonio represented Spain at the 2008 Summer Paralympics. His team finished fourth, just missing out on a medal. In 2009, he competed in the European Championships, where his team finished third.
Later Achievements
Antonio represented Spain at the 2010 World Championships. He was the top scorer in that competition. In 2011, he played for Spain in the European Championships in Turkey. His team played against Turkey, Russia, and Greece in the first round.
He also played 5-a-side football at the 2012 Summer Paralympics in London. In their first game against Great Britain, Antonio scored the only goal in a 1–1 draw. His team won another bronze medal. They beat Argentina 1–0 in a penalty shootout. Antonio scored the winning goal in that shootout! Important people like Infanta Elena, Duchess of Lugo watched the game.
Antonio was still a member of the national team in 2013. He competed in the European Championships. His team played against Russia, Greece, and France. They won their first game against Russia. His team went on to defeat France and finish first in the competition.
See also
In Spanish: Antonio Jesús Martín Gaitán para niños
