Dutch Athlete of the Year
The Dutch Athlete of the Year (Dutch: atleet van het jaar) is an annual award given to competitor in the sport of athletics from the Netherlands by the Royal Dutch Athletics Federation (Atletiekunie). A shortlist is drawn up by a group of Atletiekunie officials and sports journalists and then goes to a vote to all its members.
The award was inaugurated in 1933 as the Sauer Cup (Dutch: Sauer-beker). This was renamed to the KNAU Cup in 1946, as the eponymous Sauer had collaborated with the Nazis during World War II. Initially a mixed gender award, the best Dutch male and female athletes were recognised separately from 1959 onwards. The men's award was called the Herman van Leeuwen Cup during this period. Since 2007, the awards have been known as the Dutch Athlete of the Year, and since 2018, it is again mixed gender award.
Junior athletes also gained recognition through the mixed gender Fanny Blankers-Koen plaque since 1951. From 1959 male and female athletes were recognised separately; junior male athletes gained recognition through the Albert Spree Cup. These were replaced in 2006 by a mixed gender junior award known as the Talent of the Year. Since 2018 this award is merged with the Dutch Athlete of the Year award. In years between 2011 and 2018 also separate award for para athletes existed.
Winners
- Sauer Cup
Year | Athlete |
---|---|
1933 | Tinus Osendarp |
1934 | not awarded |
1935 | not awarded |
1936 | Wil van Beveren |
1937 | Fanny Blankers-Koen |
1938 | Nel van Balen Blanken |
1939 | Jan Brasser |
1940 | Fanny Blankers-Koen |
1941 | Wim Peters |
1942 | Chris Berger |
1943 | Fanny Blankers-Koen |
1944 | not awarded |
1945 | not awarded |
- KNAU Cup
Year | Athlete |
---|---|
1946 | Women's relay team |
1947 | Jef Lataster |
1948 | Frits de Ruijter |
1949 | Joop Overdijk |
1950 | Wim Slijkhuis |
1951 | Nico Lutkeveld |
1952 | Puck Brouwer |
1953 | Wil Lust |
1954 | Janus van der Zande |
1955 | Cor Aafjes |
1956 | Frans Künen |
1957 | Hannie Bloemhof |
1958 | Dini Hobers |
- Herman van Leeuwen Cup and KNAU Cup
- Athlete of the Year
Year | Men | Women |
---|---|---|
2007 | Rutger Smith | Lornah Kiplagat |
2008 | Rutger Smith | Lornah Kiplagat |
2009 | Martijn Nuijens | Jolanda Keizer |
2010 | Eelco Sintnicolaas | Yvonne Hak |
2011 | Eelco Sintnicolaas | Dafne Schippers |
2012 | Churandy Martina | Dafne Schippers |
2013 | Ignisious Gaisah | Dafne Schippers |
2014 | Eelco Sintnicolaas | Dafne Schippers |
2015 | Liemarvin Bonevacia | Dafne Schippers |
2016 | Churandy Martina | Dafne Schippers |
2017 | Menno Vloon | Dafne Schippers |
2018 | Sifan Hassan | |
2019 | Sifan Hassan | |
2020 | not assigned | |
2021 | Sifan Hassan | |
2022 | Femke Bol |