Cristian “Chicho” Arango, the Colombian scorer who played a key role in the LAFC’s path to its first MLS championship, has been selected 2022 Southern California Sportsman of the Year by the Los Angeles Athletic Council or the Los Angeles Athletic Council.
27-year-old “Chicho” Arango scored 16 goals in 34 LAFC games before adding two goals in the playoffs. He also scored three times in the US Cup and was the top scorer of his team, overtaking even the Mexican Carlos Vela (12 goals).
Maybe he Arango’s highlight in 2022 was a goal that led the LAFC to a dramatic victory over LA Galaxy. in the playoffs.
Arango, who left LAFC to join Liga MX Pachuca, unexpectedly surpassed stars such as Mexican pitcher Julio Urias in the Sportsman of the Year election. (Dodgers), Japanese star Shohei Otani (Angels), and college quarterback Caleb Williams (USC).
Left-hander Urias had a 17-7 record and led the National League in the most important innings statistic, earned batting average (2.16), finishing third in Cy Young Trophy voting. A year earlier, Urias led the Major Leagues in games won with 20 wins.
Athlete of the Year was Chloe Kim, a Californian snowboarding star who successfully defended her Olympic halfpipe title at the 2022 Winter Games in Beijing, among other accomplishments.
Rams and Justin Turner Awards
Other winners of the 18th Los Angeles Area Sports Trophy Presentation were presented to Lincoln Riley, USC Football Team Coach, for Coach of the Year for a strong Trojan resurrection season; Kevin Demoff, Chief Operating Officer of the Rams, is named Executive of the Year for winning the Super Bowl. season 2021 (the title was obtained in February 2022), and Justin Turner, former Dodgers player, recognized as Community Athlete of the Year for his charitable work.. Red now plays for Boston but remains one of Southern California’s favorite baseball players.
In addition, Lisa Leslie, WNBA legend with the LA Sparks, wins the Career Achievement Trophy and Natalia Maiara, Brazilian wheelchair tennis player, “Ready, Set, Gold!” awarded to Paralympic athletes.
The awards ceremony will be broadcast March 15 on Spectrum SportsNet (8:30 p.m.), when Southern California Sports Moment of the Year will also be announced. Fans can vote until March 12 at lasports.org/vote.
Some highlights for 2022: debut season of professional women’s football team Angel City FC; The Dodgers won 111 games in a season; Rams defeat Cincinnati in Super Bowl LVI at SoFi Stadium.and the LAFC title in the MLS Cup Final against Philadelphia, among others.
“We are thrilled to announce this year’s winners and once again celebrate the outstanding achievements of Los Angeles’ finest athletes, teams, coaches and leaders at this year’s awards ceremony,” said David Siegel, president of the Los Angeles Athletic Council, an organization founded in 1988. . is a leader of its kind in the Los Angeles sports community.
Source: La Opinion
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