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The Belgian Sportsman of the Year (Dutch: Sportman van het jaar; French: Sportif belge de l'année; German: Sportler des Jahres) is elected at the end of each year by professional sportjournalists and former winners,[1] annually since 1967. A Belgian Sportswoman of the Year title has been given out since 1975. Top winners include Ingrid Berghmans (8 wins), Kim Clijsters (8) and Eddy Merckx (6).[2]

More categories were added in 1997, with the Belgian Sportsteam of the Year, 1998 with the Belgian Talent of the Year, 2010 with the Belgian Paralympic Athlete of the Year and lastly in 2011 the Belgian Coach of the Year.[3]

The youngest male winner of the Belgian sportsman of the year is Remco Evenepoel who won the award at the age of 19.[4] The youngest female winner is Carine Verbauwen, who won the award at the age of 13.[5]

List of winners

Year Men Women Team Promising Talent Paralympic Coach
Winner Sport Winner Sport Winner Sport Winner Sport Winner Sport Winner Sport
2023[6] Remco Evenepoel (3) cycling Lotte Kopecky cycling Belgium women's national basketball team (2) basketball Alec Segaert cycling Maxime Carabin athletics Rachid Meziane basketball
2022[7] Remco Evenepoel (2) cycling Nafissatou Thiam (4) athletics Men's 4×400 metres relay (4) athletics Cian Uijtdebroeks cycling Michèle George (2) equestrian Roger Lespagnard (3) athletics
2021[8] Wout van Aert (2) cycling Nina Derwael (3) gymnastics Belgium national field hockey team (5) field hockey Thibau Nys cycling Peter Genyn (3) athletics Shane McLeod (2) field hockey
2020[9] Wout van Aert cycling Emma Meesseman basketball Belgium women's national basketball team basketball Charles De Ketelaere football Joachim Gérard (3) tennis Philip Mestdagh basketball
2019[10] Remco Evenepoel cycling Nina Derwael (2) gymnastics Belgium national field hockey team (4) field hockey Yari Verschaeren football Joachim Gérard (2) tennis Shane McLeod field hockey
2018 Eden Hazard football Nina Derwael (1) gymnastics Belgium national field hockey team (3) field hockey Remco Evenepoel cycling Peter Genyn (2) athletics Roberto Martinez football
2017 David Goffin tennis Nafissatou Thiam (3) athletics Belgium Davis Cup team (3) tennis Lotte Kopecky cycling Peter Genyn athletics Roger Lespagnard (2) athletics
2016 Greg Van Avermaet cycling Nafissatou Thiam (2) athletics Belgium national field hockey team (2) field hockey Louise Carton athletics Laurens Devos table tennis Roger Lespagnard athletics
2015 Kevin De Bruyne football Delfine Persoon boxing Belgium Davis Cup team (2) tennis Tiesj Benoot cycling Marieke Vervoort (2) athletics Hein Vanhaezebrouck football
2014 Thibaut Courtois football Nafissatou Thiam athletics Belgium national football team (2) football Divock Origi football Michèle George equestrian Marc Wilmots (2) football
2013 Frederik Van Lierde triathlon Kirsten Flipkens tennis Belgium national football team football Nafissatou Thiam athletics Joachim Gérard (1) tennis Marc Wilmots football
2012 Tom Boonen (3) cycling Evi Van Acker sailing Belgium national field hockey team field hockey Kimmer Coppejans tennis Marieke Vervoort athletics Jacques Borlée (2) athletics
2011 Philippe Gilbert (3) cycling Kim Clijsters (8) tennis Men's 4×400 metres relay (3) athletics Thomas Van der Plaetsen athletics Wim Decleir cycling Jacques Borlée athletics
2010 Philippe Gilbert (2) cycling Kim Clijsters (7) tennis Men's 4×400 metres relay (2) athletics Luca Brecel snooker Sven Decaesstecker swimming not awarded
2009 Philippe Gilbert cycling Kim Clijsters (6) tennis Men's 4×400 metres relay athletics Romelu Lukaku football not awarded
2008 Sven Nys cyclo-cross Tia Hellebaut athletics Women's 4×100 metres relay (3) athletics Elise Matthysen swimming
2007 Tom Boonen (2)[11] cycling Justine Henin-Hardenne (4)[12] tennis Women's 4×100 metres relay (2) athletics Dominique Cornu cycling
2006 Stefan Everts (5) motocross Justine Henin-Hardenne (3) tennis Belgium Fed Cup team (2) tennis Yoris Grandjean swimming
2005 Tom Boonen cycling Kim Clijsters (5) tennis Belgium national under-21 football team football Niels Albert cyclo-cross
2004 Stefan Everts (4) motocross Justine Henin-Hardenne (2) tennis Women's 4×100 metres relay athletics Aagje Vanwalleghem gymnastics
2003 Stefan Everts (3) motocross Justine Henin-Hardenne tennis Belgian Motocross team (2) motocross Kirsten Flipkens tennis
2002 Stefan Everts (2) motocross Kim Clijsters (4) tennis La Villette Charleroi table tennis Thomas Buffel football
2001 Stefan Everts motocross Kim Clijsters (3) tennis Belgium Fed Cup team tennis Jurgen Van den Broeck cycling
2000 Joël Smets motocross Kim Clijsters (2) tennis RSC Anderlecht football Bart Aernouts cyclo-cross
1999 Luc Van Lierde (2) triathlon Kim Clijsters tennis Belgium Davis Cup team tennis Bart Wellens cyclo-cross
1998 Frédérik Deburghgraeve (3) swimming Dominique Monami tennis Belgian Motocross team motocross Kim Clijsters tennis
1997 Luc Van Lierde triathlon Gella Vandecaveye (2) judo Noliko Maaseik volleyball not awarded
1996 Frédérik Deburghgraeve (2) swimming Ulla Werbrouck judo not awarded
1995 Frédérik Deburghgraeve swimming Brigitte Becue (2) swimming
1994 Jean-Michel Saive (2) table tennis Brigitte Becue swimming
1993 Vincent Rousseau (2) athletics Gella Vandecaveye judo
1992 Georges Jobé (2) motocross Annelies Bredael rowing
1991 Jean-Michel Saive table tennis Sabine Appelmans (2) tennis
1990 Rudy Dhaenens cycling Sabine Appelmans tennis
1989 Thierry Boutsen motorsport Ingrid Berghmans (8) judo
1988 Eric Geboers motocross Ingrid Berghmans (7) judo
1987 Georges Jobé motocross Ingrid Lempereur swimming
1986 William Van Dijck athletics Ingrid Berghmans (6) judo
1985 Gaston Rahier
Vincent Rousseau
motocross
athletics
Ingrid Berghmans (5) judo
1984 Claude Criquielion cycling Ingrid Berghmans (4) judo
1983 Eddy Annys athletics Ingrid Berghmans (3) judo
1982 Jacky Ickx motorsport Ingrid Berghmans (2) judo
1981 Freddy Maertens cycling Annie Lambrechts roller skating
1980 Robert Van De Walle (2) judo Ingrid Berghmans judo
1979 Robert Van De Walle judo Carine Verbauwen (3) swimming
1978 Raymond Ceulemans billiards Carine Verbauwen (2) swimming
1977 Michel Pollentier cycling Anne-Marie Pira (2) athletics
1976 Ivo Van Damme athletics Anne-Marie Pira athletics
1975 Bruno Brokken athletics Carine Verbauwen swimming
1974 Eddy Merckx (6) cycling not awarded
1973 Eddy Merckx (5) cycling
1972 Eddy Merckx (4) cycling
1971 Eddy Merckx (3) cycling
1970 Eddy Merckx (2) cycling
1969 Eddy Merckx cycling
1968 Serge Reding weightlifting
1967 Ferdinand Bracke cycling

Breakdown of winners by sport

Men

Sport Number of wins Winning years
Cycling 23 1967, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1977, 1981, 1984, 1990, 2005, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2016, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023
Motocross 10 1985, 1987, 1988, 1992, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2006
Athletics 6 1975, 1976, 1983, 1985, 1986, 1993
Swimming 3 1995, 1996, 1998
Triathlon 3 1997, 1999, 2013
Football 3 2014, 2015, 2018
Judo 2 1979, 1980
Motorsport 2 1982, 1989
Table tennis 2 1991, 1994
Weightlifting 1 1968
Billiards 1 1978
Cyclo-cross 1 2008
Tennis 1 2017

Women

Sport Number of wins Winning years
Tennis 16 1990, 1991, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013
Judo 11 1980, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1988, 1989, 1993, 1996, 1997
Athletics 7 1976, 1977, 2008, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2022
Swimming 6 1975, 1978, 1979, 1987, 1994, 1995
Gymnastics 3 2018, 2019, 2021
Roller skating 1 1981
Rowing 1 1992
Sailing 1 2012
Boxing 1 2015
Basketball 1 2020
Cycling 1 2023

Team

Sport Number of wins Winning years
Athletics 7 2004, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2022
Tennis 5 1999, 2001, 2006, 2015, 2017
Field hockey 5 2012, 2016, 2018, 2019, 2021
Football 4 2000, 2005, 2013, 2014
Motocross 2 1998, 2003
Basketball 2 2020, 2023
Volleyball 1 1997
Table tennis 1 2002

Talent

Sport Number of wins Winning years
Cycling 8 2001, 2007, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2021, 2022, 2023
Football 5 2002, 2009, 2014, 2019, 2020
Cyclo-cross 3 1999, 2000, 2005
Tennis 3 1998, 2003, 2012
Athletics 3 2011, 2013, 2016
Swimming 2 2006, 2008
Gymnastics 1 2004
Snooker 1 2010
Sport Number of wins Winning years
Athletics 6 2012, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2021, 2023
Tennis 3 2013, 2019, 2020
Equestrian 2 2014, 2022
Swimming 1 2010
Cycling 1 2011
Table tennis 1 2016

Coach

Sport Number of wins Winning years
Athletics 5 2011, 2012, 2016, 2017, 2022
Football 4 2013, 2014, 2015, 2018
Field hockey 2 2019, 2021
Basketball 2 2020, 2023

Overall

Sport Total number of wins Men Women Team Talent Paralympic Coach First win Last win
Athletics 34 6 7 8 2 6 5 1975 2023
Cycling 33 23 1 0 8 1 0 1967 2023
Tennis 28 1 16 5 3 3 0 1990 2020
Football 16 3 0 4 5 0 4 2000 2020
Judo 13 2 11 0 0 0 0 1979 1997
Motocross 12 10 0 2 0 0 0 1985 2006
Swimming 12 3 6 0 2 1 0 1975 2010
Field hockey 7 0 0 5 0 0 2 2012 2021
Basketball 5 0 1 2 0 0 2 2020 2023
Cyclo-cross 4 1 0 0 3 0 0 1999 2008
Table tennis 4 2 0 1 0 1 0 1991 2016
Gymnastics 4 0 3 0 1 0 0 2004 2021
Triathlon 3 3 0 0 0 0 0 1997 2013
Motorsport 2 2 0 0 0 0 0 1982 1989
Equestrian 2 0 0 0 0 2 0 2014 2022
Billiards 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 1978
Boxing 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 2015
Roller skating 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 1981
Rowing 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 1992
Sailing 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 2012
Snooker 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 2010
Volleyball 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 1997
Weightlifting 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 1968

See also

References