Luis Scola has been named male Athlete of the Year by the COA ©Getty Images

Basketball player Luis Scola and swimmer Delfinia Pigniatello won the men’s and women’s Athlete of the Year awards at an Argentine Olympic Committee (COA) ceremony in Buenos Aires.

At the age of 39, Scola was part of the team that won the gold medal at the Pan American Games in Lima.

He scored 135 points and 57 rebounds in the seven matches en route to the International Basketball Federation World Cup final, where Argentina lost 95-75 to Spain.

María Julia Garisoain, director of the Athletes Commission of the COA, said Scola "is no longer only the basketball captain, but that all the athletes of the Argentine team have chosen him as their captain".

Delfinia Pigniatello won the women's athlete of the year award ©Getty Images
Delfinia Pigniatello won the women's athlete of the year award ©Getty Images

Pigniatello, 19, won three golds at the Pan American Games in the 400 metres, 800m and 1,500m freestyle.

Sergio Hernández, coach of the Argentinian men’s basketball team, won the top coaching award.

Former tennis player Mercedes Paz won the Women and Sports award, given in recognition of promotion of gender equity and for developing, encouraging and strengthening women's participation in the active practice of sport at all levels.

Paz received a congratulatory video message from her former doubles partner, Gabriela Sabatini.