Latinos’ Best Shines at 5th Annual Premios Fox Sports Presented by DHL

Sports teams and athletes from Argentina have plenty to celebrate tonight as they dominated the fifth anniversary edition of Fox Pan American Sports’ (FPAS) Premios Fox Sports presented by DHL with six major award wins and numerous special recognitions. The biggest individual winner of the night was Juan Román Riquelme of Argentina’s Boca Juniors with wins for “Best Goal of Copa Toyota Libertadores” and “Best Latin American Soccer Player.” International golf superstar Lorena Ochoa scored Mexico’s second “Athlete of the Year” award in a row and the second in the category for a female athlete in the show’s history.

Puerto Rican boxer Miguel Cotto earned his third consecutive “Outstanding Boxer” award, while South Florida’s María Mansur (Tennis) of Flanagan High School and South Broward High School’s Alberto Benarroch (Soccer and Water Polo) were named the inaugural “Latino Student Athletes 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. “Thanks to the wonderful 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 honorees and sends a special thank you to DHL and the many athletes, entertainers and personalities that helped make the fifth anniversary edition of Premios Fox Sports an overwhelming success.”

Hosted by Kate del Castillo and Cristian de la Fuente, celebrities from the world of Latin American sports and entertainment gathered tonight at the star-studded fifth anniversary edition of Premios Fox Sports presented by DHL at The Fillmore Miami Beach at The Jackie Gleason Theater in beautiful Miami Beach. The show will be telecast to more than 33 million households throughout the United States by Fox Sports en Español and in Latin America by Fox Sports Latin America on December 16.

“Congratulations to all the winners. We are proud to support a forum that recognizes the best in Latin American sports. Our participation with Premios Fox Sports demonstrates our commitment to move with the lifestyle and interests of our customers both on and off work,” said Roger Crook, chief executive officer of DHL Express International Americas.

The Viewer’s Choices

Fans across the Americas participated in this year’s event by casting more than half a million votes online at the official Premios Fox Sports Web site (www.premiosfoxsports.msn.com) presented by DHL and in partnership with MSN or through T-Mobile-sponsored standard text messaging for Viewer’s Choice Awards recognizing the best goals scored during the 2007 editions of Fox Sports en Español and Fox Sports Latin America’s exclusive soccer tournaments. Below are fans’ selections:

BEST GOAL OF COPA TOYOTA LIBERTADORES

Juan Román RIQUELME (Boca Juniors, Argentina)

BEST GOAL OF COPA NISSAN SUDAMERICANA

Radamel Falcao GARCIA (Argentina’s River Plate, Colombia)

BEST GOAL OF INTERLIGA

Fernando ARCE (Morelia, México)

BEST GOAL DE LA COPA CAMPEONES CONCACAF 2007

Omar BRAVO (Chivas de Guadalajara, México)

From the Experts

Additional categories and winners for this year’s Premios Fox Sports were selected by an expert panel of judges comprised of Fox Sports en Español Magazine editors and contributors, network producers and on-air personalities. Upon submitting nominations in each category via secret ballot, each committee member’s recommendations were tabulated and the top five nominees in each category were selected as finalists. The following nominees received the most committee votes in their category and represent the year’s best both on and off the field:

OUTSTANDING LATIN AMERICAN SOCCER PLAYER

Juan Román RIQUELME – Boca Juniors (Argentina)

OUTSTANDING LATIN AMERICAN SOCCER PLAYER IN EUROPE

Lionel MESSI – Spain’s FC Barcelona (Argentina)

OUTSTANDING SOCCER TRAINER

Miguel RUSSO – Boca Juniors (Argentina)

OUTSTANDING LATIN AMERICAN SOCCER TEAM

Boca Juniors (Argentina)

OUTSTANDING BASKETBALL PLAYER

Luis SCOLA – Tau Vitoria/Spain and Houston Rockets/NBA (Argentina)

OUTSTANDING BASEBALL PLAYER

Magglio ORDOÑEZ – Detroit Tigers/MLB (Dominican Republic)

OUTSTANDING BOXER

Miguel COTTO (Puerto Rico)

OUTSTANDING MOTOR SPORT DRIVER

Sergio PEREZ – British F 3000 (México)

BREAKOUT STAR

Juan Martín HERNANDEZ – Los Pumas (Rugby, Argentina)

OUTSTANDING LATIN AMERICAN TENNIS PLAYER

Fernando GONZALEZ (Chile)

PARALYMPIC ATHLETE OF THE YEAR

Juan Ignacio REYES (Swimming, México)

COPA NISSAN SUDAMERICANA 2007 CHAMPIONS

Arsenal (Argentina)

SPECIAL MENTIONS/MLS TRIBUTES

Maykel GALINDO (Cuba)

Cuauhtémoc BLANCO (México)

Juan Pablo ANGEL (Colombia)

Guillermo Barros SCHELOTTO (Argentina)

Claudio SUAREZ (México)

Jaime MORENO (Bolivia)

NATIONAL TEAM OF THE YEAR

Los Pumas (Rugby, Argentina)

OUTSTANDING CAREER

Alex AGUINAGA (Soccer, Ecuador)

Luis ZAGUE (Soccer, México)

Erik MORALES (Boxing, México)

Jefferson PEREZ (Race Walking, Ecuador)

HUMANITARIAN AWARD

Bobby ABREU (Baseball, Venezuela)

ATHLETE OF THE YEAR

Lorena OCHOA (Golf, México)

Additional Honors Presented at a Private Beach Reception December 11

A series of LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS and SPECIAL RECOGNITIONS were also presented at a private reception on December 11 at the Loews Miami Beach Hotel, including the inaugural recipients of Fox Sports en Español and Comcast Spotlight Miami’s “LATINO HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT ATHLETE OF THE YEAR” scholarships. Additional honorees included:

OUTSTANDING CAREER

Teófilo CUBILLAS (Soccer, Peru)

OUTSTANDING CAREER

Erwin Sanchez (Soccer, Bolivia)

SPECIAL MENTION

Luis SANGLADE (Soccer Federation of Venezuela)

(For excellence in management of the 2007 Copa América 2007)

HONORABLE MENTION

DT Oscar TABAREZ (Soccer, Uruguay)

(Commemorating the 20th anniversary of Peñarol’s last Copa Libertadores title)

MOST IMPROVED ATHLETE

Cristian MIJARES (Boxing, México)

SPECIAL MENTION

MISTICO (Wrestling, México)

SPECIAL MENTION

MEXICAN SPECIAL OLYMPICS COMMITTEE

MEXICAN REFEREE OF THE YEAR

Armando ARCHUNDIA

FEMALE STUDENT ATHLETE OF THE YEAR

María MANSUR (Tennis, Colombia/USA, Flanagan High School)

MALE STUDENT ATHLETE OF THE YEAR

Alberto BENARROCH (Soccer and Water Polo, Venezuela/USA, South Broward High School)

The musical line-up for the fifth annual Premios Fox Sports was kicked off by Latin Grammy winner and salsa legend Gilberto Santa Rosa’s live performance of “Conteo regresivo.” Latin Grammy-nominated pop trio Camila performed from their hit debut album “Todo Cambió,” followed by 2007 Latin Grammy Best New Artists Jesse & Joy. Pop sensation the world over RBD closed the show with two electrifying performances, including “Inalcanzable” and “Besame sin miedo.”

Among the winners, honorees, and sports personalities in attendance were: Carlos Peña (Baseball), Milka Duno (Motor Sports), Magglio Ordoñez (Baseball), Cobi Jones (Soccer), Miguel Tejada (Baseball), Ante Razov (Soccer), Teófilo Cubillas (Soccer), Erwin Sanchez (Soccer), Oscar Tabárez (Soccer), Cristian Mijares (Boxing), Místico (Wrestling), Armando Archundia (Soccer), Juan Ignacio Reyes (Swimming), Bobby Abreu (Baseball), Jefferson Pérez (Race Walking), Maykel Galindo (Soccer), Erik Morales (Boxing), Luís Zague (Soccer), Alex Aguinaga (Soccer), and Los Pumas de Argentina (Rugby – Juan Martín Hernandez, Gonzalo Longo, Manuel Contepomi, Martín Durand).

Some of the biggest names in entertainment also turned out to the one-of-a-kind sports celebration, including: Latin Grammy Winners Reik, Paulina Rubio, Alejandra Tejada, Cruz Martinez, Maria Conchita Alonso, Kudai, Hector Soberon, Victor Gonzalez, Isabella Camil, Sergio Mayer, Jencarlos Canel, Ivonne Montero, Christian Meier, Ivelyn Giro, Evelyn Santos, Dayana Garroz, Riczabeth Sovalbarro, Pedro Moreno, Melvin Cabrera, Javier Ceriani, Martin Falco, Black Guayaba, as well as FPAS on-air personalities Jorge Ramos, Hernán Pereyra, Martín Liberman, Raul Orvañanos, Santiago Puente, and George X.

Joining hundreds of VIP guests later that evening, Grammy winners Albita and Gilberto Santa Rosa kicked the celebration into high gear with live performances at a private after-party at the Loews Miami Beach Hotel.

In addition to title sponsor DHL, sponsors of the fifth annual Premios Fox Sports included: American Airlines, McDonald’s, Red Bull, Honda, Miami Beach Visitor and Convention Authority, Mexicana, Perry Ellis, Select Vodka, Don Q, Tequila Huizache, Macy’s, Mahou Beer, and ArgenVine Wines. Contributors to the VIP Gift Bag included Nomination Jewelry, Fisher Price, Nike, General Motors, Mary Kay, Novecento Restaurant, CHANEL, La Bella Beauty Hair Products, Edward Beiver Miami, Flor de Caña, Etnia Accessories, Chivas, and Gibson Guitars.

Fox Sports en Español’s first-ever “LATINO STUDENT ATHLETE OF THE YEAR” scholarship awards, in association with Comcast Spotlight Miami, were sponsored by Publix Supermarkets and Southeast Toyota.

About Fox Pan American Sports

Fox Pan American Sports LLC, operator of Fox Sports en Español and Fox Sports Latin America, is an international sports programming and production entity jointly owned by HM Capital Partners, LLC and News Corporation’s (NYSE:NWS) Fox Sports International.

Premios Fox Sports presented by DHL, now in its fifth year, is Fox Pan American Sports’ signature annual event and the first and only awards program of its kind to celebrate the contributions and accomplishments of U.S. Hispanic and Latin American athletes both on and off the field. Voted on by fans and an expert panel of judges, winners will be crowned during the official Premios Fox Sports 5ta Edición awards ceremony on December 12, 2007 at The Fillmore Miami Beach at the Jackie Gleason Theater in Miami Beach, Florida. The show will be transmitted to more than 33 million households on December 16, 2007 through Fox Sports en Español in the United States and Fox Sports Latin America throughout the Spanish-speaking Americas. “*

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