London, April 8, 2014: Spain’s brilliant young MotoGP world champion Marc Márquez is the newest Laureus Ambassador. Márquez, the youngest ever MotoGP world champion, at 20 years 266 days, a feat for which he received the Laureus World Breakthrough of the Year Award last month, was welcomed into the Laureus Family by motor cycle legend and Laureus World Sports Academy Member Mick Doohan.
Doohan, who won five straight 500cc world titles, said: “Ten years ago, thinking of somebody in MotoGP at 20 was a rarity. Now we have brilliant young racers like Marc who can dominate their sport. But Marc is much more than that. He has shown he has a social commitment to helping others by wanting to become a Laureus Ambassador and support the work of the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation. I thank him, welcome him and look forward to working with him in the future.”
Fellow Laureus Academy Member Giacomo Agostini, who won 15 world titles, said: “Marc has shown what an amazing rider he is. He fully deserved to win the Laureus Breakthrough Award and being just 20 you wonder what he can go on to achieve. He connects to other young people around the world and I know he will be an amazing asset to the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation. I thank him for making this commitment.”
Márquez, who also made history in 2013 by becoming the youngest winner of a Grand Prix at 20 years 63 days, in Austin, Texas, and the first to win the world title in his debut season since Kenny Roberts in 1978, said: “It was a great honour to win a Laureus Award, but I know that Laureus is much more than the annual Awards Ceremony. By using sport, Laureus does great work throughout the year in my native Spain and around the world to help children, which is why I am I am delighted to be named a Laureus Ambassador. I look forward to be being able to do what I can to help.”
Gabriel Masfurroll, President of the Fundación Laureus España, said: “It is an honour to have a world champion like Marc Márquez as a Laureus Ambassador. He is a young sportsman who represents the values of sport and the values of Laureus.”
The Laureus Ambassadors are a select group of current and retired sportsmen and sportswomen, who, along with the members of the Laureus World Sports Academy, support the work of the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation. Since its inception the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation has raised more than €60 million for projects which have helped to improve the lives of millions of young people. Laureus currently supports more than 140 projects in 34 countries. —- Laureus
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