Freestyle wrestler Andrei Perpelita was named sportsman of the year at the Moldovan Sport Gala held at the National Theater "Mihai Eminescu” on December 15, Info-Prim Neo reports. In April, Andrei Perpelita won bronze at the European Freestyle Wrestling Championship held in Baku. The 25-year-old athlete also won silver at the World University Games in Italy (60kg class). In the World Championship that took place in Moscow in September, he ranked 12th. Twenty-two sportspersons in Olympic and non-Olympic events were nominated for the title of sportsman of the year 2010. Nicolae Oriol was named the best coach of the sports season 2010, while the national freestyle wrestling squad trained by him – the best team of the year after winning bronze at the World University Games in Italy. More than 200 sportspersons and coaches were awarded within the Sports Gala. The prizes depended on the value of the medal won, the importance of the competition and other merits. The Ministry of Youth and Sport spent over 1.5 million lei on the event.