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Peru's Ruidiaz chosen Seattle's Top Male Athlete of 2019

Photo: AFP

18:04 | Seattle (U.S.), Feb. 7.

Peruvian striker Raul Ruidiaz was named the Male Athlete of the Year 2019 at the 85th Annual MTRWestern Sports Star Awards presented by the Seattle Sports Commission (SSC).

In the Male Athlete of the Year category, Ruidiaz —the club's consecutive Golden Boot winner in 2018 and 2019— beat out a field of male sports icons from the Seattle area that included Tyler Lockett (Seattle Seahawks), Matisse Thybulle (UW Basketball), Max Borghi (WSU Football), Blake Bodily (UW Soccer), and Rui Hachimura (Gonzaga Basketball).

Sounders FC Vice President of Soccer & Sporting Director Chris Henderson accepted the award on Ruidiaz's behalf, as the striker is currently traveling with Sounders FC for the team's preseason training camp.

The Peruvian star recorded a video for Thursday's award ceremony prior to departing with his teammates for camp in Mexico City.

"(…) I want to thank the Seattle Sports Commission for naming me Male Athlete of the Year. I'm very thankful and happy. I want to thank everyone for their immense support," he expressed in the video.

"I apologize for not being there in person, but we're in the middle of our preseason. I would have loved to be there with you, and once again, thank you," he added.

Ruidiaz played an integral role in Seattle's MLS Cup Championship-winning season, leading the team with 11 goals in the regular season in just 22 appearances, ranking him tied for eighth in MLS with 0.50 goals per game.

Miles above the rest. ?? https://t.co/9NcXoE4M9j
— Seattle Sounders FC (@SoundersFC) February 7, 2020

He also tallied an impressive four goals and four assists in four 2019 postseason games as the Rave Green rolled to their second league title.

The corresponding event was held in the U.S. city of Seattle on Thursday.

Congratulations @RaulRuidiazM for winning the @SeattleSC Male Sports Star of the Year award! ??#85SSY pic.twitter.com/ovfbVdL5fF
— Seattle Sounders FC (@SoundersFC) February 7, 2020

Conceived in 1936, the annual awards banquet has celebrated the achievements of Washington sports for nine decades. The event features a pre-show reception and silent auctions, followed by a live awards show that showcases the athletes, coaches, executives, philanthropists and sports stories from the year past.

Sounders FC

Sounders FC continues its preseason training with a trip to Mexico City this week, where the team is training until departing for a February 20 Scotiabank Concacaf Champions League matchup against Honduran side Olimpia in San Pedro Sula.

The club then returns to Seattle to host Olimpia at CenturyLink Field on February 27 before kicking off the MLS season hosting Chicago Fire FC on March 1, 2020.

Champions

In a crowded field of impressive sports storylines in Washington, Sounders FC was deemed winner of Sports Story of the Year with its 3-1 victory over Toronto FC in front of a sold-out home crowd at CenturyLink Field in November 2019.

Editor's note: Based on information provided by Sounders FC Communications.

(END) NDP/MVB

Publicado: 7/2/2020