7th Annual Premios Fox Sports.

The seventh edition of Fox Pan American Sports LLC’s Premios Fox Sports, held at Hard Rock Live at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Florida, honored the contributions and accomplishments of US Hispanic and Latin American athletes and personalities from the world of sports, both on and off the field.
 
Hosted by Fox Sports on-air personalities Tania Rincón (Lo Mejor de Fox Sports) and German Paoloski (Futbol Para Todos), the star-studded Premios Fox Sports was telecast live to more than 26 million households in the United States and Latin America and brought together the very best in Latino sports and entertainment. 
 
Ranked fifth in the South African Airways ATP world rankings, 2009 U.S. Open Champion Juan Martín del Potro from Argentina was the evening’s biggest winner. Twenty one year-old del Potro, the youngest player among the top 20 players in the world, was named “Best Tennis Player” and “Athlete of the Year.”
 
“Premios Fox Sports once again has proven to be the year’s hot ticket,” said Patrick Ilabaca, vice president of event marketing for Fox Pan American Sports LLC. “Thanks to the support of our sponsors, advertisers, partners and our friends from throughout the Fox family, this year’s awards show was our biggest to date. Fox Pan American Sports congratulates this year’s distinguished winners and honorees, and sends a special thank you to the many athletes, entertainers and personalities that helped make the seventh edition of Premios Fox Sports an overwhelming success.”
 
Following are the official 2009 Premios Fox Sports award categories and winners:    
 
ATHLETE OF THE YEAR AND BEST TENNIS PLAYER
Juan Martín del Potro (Argentina)
   
PARALYMPIC ATHLETE OF THE YEAR
Amalia Pérez Vázquez (Mexico)
   
BEST BASEBALL PLAYER
Albert Pujols (Dominican Republic)
   
BEST BOXER
Marcela “La Tigresa” Acuña (Argentina)
   
BEST SOCCER TEAM
Estudiantes de la Plata (Argentina)
   
BEST SOCCER PLAYER
Lionel Messi (Argentina)
   
BEST GOLFER
Angel Cabrera (Argentina)
   
BEST MOTORSPORT DRIVER
Helio Castroneves (Brazil)
   
The following Special Mentions and Recognitions were also awarded:
   
SPECIAL MENTION
Executive Committee of CONMEBOL
(Commemorating 50 years of the Copa Santander Libertadores)
   
SPECIAL MENTION 
Javier Aguirre (Mexico)
(Outstanding Coach during 2010 CONCACAF World Cup Qualifiers)
   
SPECIAL MENTION
Cuauhtémoc Blanco (Mexico)
(All-Time Top Mexican Scorer during Copa Santander Libertadores)
   
SPECIAL MENTION 
Humberto Chupete Suazo (Chile)
(Top Scorer for CONMEBOL 2010 World Cup Qualifiers)
   
SPECIAL MENTION 
Paola Espinosa (Mexico)
(Outstanding Olympics Career)
   
SPECIAL MENTION 
Liga de Quito (Ecuador)
(Champion of Copa Nissan Sudamericana)
   
OUTSTANDING COMMUNITY SERVICE
Club Pachuca (Mexico)
   
BREAKOUT ATHLETE OF THE YEAR
Fredy Montero (Colombia)
   
The Viewer’s Choices

Selected exclusively by fans via premiosfoxsports.com, winners of Viewer’s Choice Awards recognizing the best goals scored during the 2009 editions of Fox Sports en Español and Fox Sports Latin America’s exclusive soccer tournaments include: 
   
BEST GOAL OF INTERLIGA(TM) 2009
Marco Fabián (Chivas de Guadalajara)
   
BEST GOAL OF COPA SANTANDER LIBERTADORES 2009
Martín Arzuaga (Universidad San Martin)
   
BEST GOAL OF UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE 2008-2009
Lionel Messi (FC Barcelona)