Marcos Díaz have been nominated for one of the world’s prestigious awards “Premio Principe de Asturias” (Prince of Asturias Awards) in the Sports category.

Marcos is the first athlete from the Dominican Republic ever to be nominated for this award. There are a total of 19 nominees for this year’s awards, all incredible world-renowned athletes.

Past winners of this awards have included the Spanish National futbol team (world champions), Rafael Nadal, Michael Schumacker, Lance Armstrong and Steffi Graf.

The only other open water swimmer ever to be nominated was multi-time world champion David Meca from Spain in 2004. Besides being named the World Open Water Swimming Man of the Year in 2010, Marcos also successfully completed the Swim Across The Continents.

The Prince of Asturias Awards are a series of annual prizes awarded in Spain by the Prince of Asturias Foundation to individuals, entities or organizations from around the world who make notable achievements in the sciences, humanities, and public affairs.

The prize was established in 1980 by the Prince of Asturias, heir to the throne of Spain, to consolidate links between the Principality and the Prince of Asturias, and to contribute to encouraging and promoting scientific, cultural and humanistic values that form part of mankind’s universal heritage. The awards are presented in Oviedo, the capital of the Principality of Asturias, at a ceremony presided by Felipe, Prince of Asturias. A sculpture, expressly created for the prize by Spanish sculptor Joan Miró, is presented yearly to the recipients of the prize.

Photo of Marcos Diaz at the United Nations International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame ceremonies, courtesy of Skip Storch.

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