The Shooting star award goes to … Agnes Arvidsson (SWE) and João Peixinho (POR)

After the senior finals of the 2024 European Championships in TeamGym in Baku (AZE), Kamran Ramazanov, CEO of our global partner SmartScoring presented the SmartScoring Shooting star award to Sweden’s Agnes Arvidsson and Portugal’s João Peixinho.

Started in 2018, this award aims to put a gymnast with an exceptional story in the spotlight, someone who is an inspiration for the future generation of gymnasts and the general public alike.

As a child, Agnes Arvidsson was diagnosed with ALL, Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia. The first years of her life were spent visiting hospitals and receiving chemo treatment which only finished when she was 4. For many years after, she continued with check-ups and blood tests to make sure the cancer didn’t come back, only receiving the green light when she turned 18 years old. Having started practicing gymnastics in her hometown Linköping, she moved to Stockholm at 15 years old to invest in her gymnastics career. Representing Sweden both as a junior and now as a senior, Agnes combines this with studying to become a nurse. She wants to give back to other people the help she received as a kid. Agnes is a true inspiration!  

Known as ‘Little Fish’, João Peixinho has been involved since the implementation of TeamGym in Portugal. He is a true role model, not only because of his international career that spans nearly 20 years although that is definitely impressive. Voluntarily stepping in as a coach when needed, the transition felt natural and smooth, ending with Peixinho being coach, captain and gymnast all at the same time in 2021, sharing his knowledge and experience with the younger generations who have always looked up to him and feel privileged to be his teammates. Peixinho was the first Portuguese gymnast to push the boundaries of difficult elements, often achieving them despite the limited facilities. He pioneered triples and straight twisting doubles. His work ethic inspired younger athletes to keep striving for a brighter future in Portuguese gymnastics. This work ethic remains unchanged, as he continues to be a key member of the Portuguese national team at 37 years old, contributing both in the locker room and on the competition floor. Peixinho has done a tremendous amount for the sport, both as a gymnast and as a coach.