Sara Moreira, Patrícia Mamona and Jéssica Augusto welcomed into the Order of Merit

The President of the Republic of Portugal awarded five of the national's athletes who had won medals in the European Athletics Championships with one of the country's highest honors. Included in the group if five were five Sporting athletes: Sara Moreira, Jéssica Augusto and Patrícia Mamona.

“The country is really happy right now and that is also due to your success. Independent of the economic, political and social problems we are going through, we should not let moments like this slip by without a celebration", affirmed Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, without hiding his expectations for the coming Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro: "I hope that in a few weeks time we will be giving awards to more athletes. It would mean that we are going through a unique period in our history."

Jéssica Augusto was one of the voices behind the awarding of of the Order of Merit to athletes after the national football squad was given the same honour. "I was joking when I said it would be hard for us to have two people at home given the award (the Sporting's athlete's partner, the goalkeeper Eduardo, received the award on Monday), but this medal is more than deserved."

It was also a fantastic day for Sara Moreira, who was overjoyed with the award: "It is an honour to be part of the Order of Merit especially after such a welcome at the airport."

The other gold medal winner at the ceremony, the triple jump hero Patrícia Mamona, is still loving the dream: "It was been a fantastic year and a great day. I am in the clouds right now and I still haven't come back down to earth."