Dutch Athlete of the Year

Athletics award in the Netherlands From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Dutch Athlete of the Year (Dutch: atleet van het jaar) is an annual award given to the most distinguished competitor in the sport of athletics from the Netherlands by the Royal Dutch Athletics Federation (KNAU).[1] A shortlist is drawn up by a group of federation officials and sports journalists and then goes to a vote to the public.[1][2] The award is presented at the annual end-of-year gala of the federation.[2][3][4]

Photo of Jessica Schilder holding up a flag behind her
Shot-putter Jessica Schilder was Dutch Athlete of the Year for the first time in 2025.
Photo of Dafne Schippers with a dark background
Sprinter and heptathlete Dafne Schippers won from 2011 to 2017, more times than any other athlete.
Photo of Tinus Osendarp holding his arms wide at the finish line with an audience in the background
Sprinter Tinus Osendarp was the first winner for 1935, when it was called the Sauer Cup.

The award for 1935 was inaugurated in 1936 as the Sauer Cup (Dutch: Sauer-beker). It was renamed to the KNAU Cup in 1947, as the eponymous Sauer had collaborated with the Nazis during World War II.[5][6] 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, while the women's award continued as the KNAU Cup. Since 2005, the awards have been known as the Dutch Athlete of the Year,[7][8] and since 2018, it is again a mixed-gender award.[1]

Junior athletes also gained recognition separately through the mixed-gender Albert Spree Cup (Dutch: Albert Spree-beker), first awarded in 1951.[5] From 1959, male and female juniors were recognised separately; junior female athletes gained recognition through the Fanny Blankers-Koen Plaquette, while the award for junior male athletes continued as the Albert Spree Cup.[5] These were replaced in 2006 by a mixed-gender junior award known as the Talent of the Year. Since 2018, this award has been merged with the Dutch Athlete of the Year award. In the years between 2011 and 2018, a separate award for para-athletes also existed.[1]

List of winners

1935–1946

More information Year, Athlete ...
Sauer Cup[note 1]
Year Athlete Ref.
1935 Tinus Osendarp [9]
1936 Wil van Beveren [10]
1937 Fanny Koen (1/3) [11]
1938 Nel van Balen Blanken [12]
1939 Jan Brasser [13]
1940 Fanny Blankers-Koen (2/3) [14]
1941 Wim Peters [15]
1942 Chris Berger [16]
1943 Fanny Blankers-Koen (3/3) [17]
1944 not awarded[note 2] [5]
1945 not awarded[note 2] [5]
1946 Women's relay team[note 3] [21]
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1947–1958

More information Year, Athlete ...
KNAU Cup[note 4]
Year Athlete Ref.
1947 Jef Lataster [22]
1948 Frits de Ruijter [23]
1949 Joop Overdijk [24]
1950 Wim Slijkhuis [25]
1951 Nico Lutkeveld [26]
1952 Puck Brouwer [27]
1953 Wil Lust [28]
1954 Janus van der Zande [29]
1955 Cor Aafjes [30]
1956 Frans Künen [31]
1957 Hannie Bloemhof [32]
1958 Dini Hobers [33]
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1959–2004

More information Year, Men ...
Herman van Leeuwen Cup and KNAU Cup[note 5]
Year Men Women Ref.
1959 Eef Kamerbeek (1/2)Gerda Kraan (1/3) [34]
1960 Eef Kamerbeek (2/2)Joke Bijleveld [35]
1961 Cees Koch (1/2)Gerda Kraan (2/3) [36]
1962 Cees Koch (2/2)Gerda Kraan (3/3) [37]
1963 Henk EversLia Hinten [38]
1964 Frans LuitjesTilly van der Made [39]
1965 Fred van HerpenIlja Laman (1/3) & Hilde Slaman [40]
1966 Leo de WinterCorrie Bakker [41]
1967 Piet OlofsenMia Gommers (1/2) [42]
1968 Ed de NoorlanderMia Gommers (2/2) [43]
1969 Ben LesterhuisWilma van den Berg [44]
1970 Bram WassenaarIlja Keizer-Laman (2/3) [45]
1971 Egbert NijstadEls van Noorduyn [46]
1972 Jos Hermens (1/3)Ilja Keizer-Laman (3/3) [47]
1973 Haico ScharnMieke van Wissen-Sterk [48]
1974 Jos Hermens (2/3)Ciska Janssen-Jansen [49]
1975 Jos Hermens (3/3)Mieke van Doorn [50]
1976 Ruud Wielart (1/2)Ria Stalman (1/3) [51]
1977 Ruud Wielart (2/2)Mirjam van Laar [52]
1978 Gerard TebrokeSylvia Barlag (1/3) [5]
1979 Harry SchultingSylvia Barlag (2/3) [53]
1980 Gerard Nijboer (1/2)Sylvia Barlag (3/3) [5]
1981 Hans KoelemanEls Vader [5]
1982 Gerard Nijboer (2/2)Carla Beurskens (1/2) [5]
1983 Rob Druppers (1/2)Ria Stalman (2/3) [5]
1984 Erik de Bruin (1/3)Ria Stalman (3/3) [5]
1985 Rob Druppers (2/2)Carla Beurskens (2/2) [5]
1986 Han Kulker (1/2)Nelli Cooman (1/2) [54]
1987 Han Kulker (2/2)Elly van Hulst (1/3) [5]
1988 Robert de Wit (1/2)Elly van Hulst (2/3) [55]
1989 Emiel MellaardElly van Hulst (3/3) [56]
1990 Erik de Bruin (2/3)Ellen van Langen (1/2) [57]
1991 Erik de Bruin (3/3)Letitia Vriesde (1/2) [58]
1992 Robert de Wit (2/2)Ellen van Langen (2/2) [59]
1993 Bert van Vlaanderen (1/3)not awarded [5]
1994 Bert van Vlaanderen (2/3)Nelli Fiere-Cooman (2/2) [60]
1995 Bert van Vlaanderen (3/3)Sharon Jaklofsky (1/2) [5]
1996 Marko Koers (1/2)Sharon Jaklofsky (2/2) [61]
1997 Marko Koers (2/2)Corrie de Bruin (1/2) [5]
1998 Robin KorvingCorrie de Bruin (2/2) [5]
1999 Kamiel Maase (1/3)Lieja Koeman (1/2) [62]
2000 Simon Vroemen (1/2)Lieja Koeman (2/2) [63]
2001 Kamiel Maase (2/3)Letitia Vriesde (2/2) [1]
2002 Simon Vroemen (2/2)Jacqueline Poelman [1]
2003 Kamiel Maase (3/3)Lornah Kiplagat (1/4) [1]
2004 Chiel WarnersKarin Ruckstuhl (1/2) [64]
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2005–present

More information Year, Men ...
Athlete of the Year[note 6]
Year Men Women Ref.
2005 Rens BlomLornah Kiplagat (2/4) [7]
2006 Bram SomKarin Ruckstuhl (2/2) [8]
2007 Rutger Smith (1/2)Lornah Kiplagat (3/4) [65]
2008 Rutger Smith (2/2)Lornah Kiplagat (4/4) [66]
2009 Martijn NuijensJolanda Keizer [67]
2010 Eelco Sintnicolaas (1/3)Yvonne Hak [68]
2011 Eelco Sintnicolaas (2/3)Dafne Schippers (1/7) [69]
2012 Churandy Martina (1/2)Dafne Schippers (2/7) [70]
2013 Ignisious GaisahDafne Schippers (3/7) [71]
2014 Eelco Sintnicolaas (3/3)Dafne Schippers (4/7) [72]
2015 Liemarvin BonevaciaDafne Schippers (5/7) [73]
2016 Churandy Martina (2/2)Dafne Schippers (6/7) [74]
2017 Menno VloonDafne Schippers (7/7) [75]
2018 Sifan Hassan (1/4) [76]
2019 Sifan Hassan (2/4) [3]
2020 not awarded[note 7] [1]
2021 Sifan Hassan (3/4) [4]
2022 Femke Bol (1/2) [2]
2023 Femke Bol (2/2) [77]
2024 Sifan Hassan (4/4) [78]
2025 Jessica Schilder [79]
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Notes

  1. [1]
    The Sauer Cup was awarded in March for performances in the previous year. In this table the year of those performances is listed.
  2. [2]
    There were famine and fighting in the Netherlands during the last two years of World War II.[18][19] In addition, there were athletics equipment shortages at the time.[20]
  3. [3]
    The women's 4 × 100 m relay team members were Fanny Blankers-Koen, Martha Adema, Nettie Timmer, and Gerda Koudijs.[21]
  4. [4]
    The KNAU Cup was awarded in March or April for performances in the previous year. In this table the year of those performances is listed.
  5. [5]
    The Herman van Leeuwen Cup and the KNAU Cup were awarded in January–April for performances in the previous year. In this table the year of the performances is listed.
  6. [6]
    The Athlete of the Year was awarded in November or December for performances in that year or in January or February for performances in the previous year. In this table the year of the performances is listed.
  7. [7]
    Not awarded due to the COVID-19 pandemic[1]

References

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