This evening is great sport!
The SPORT BILD Award is being presented for the 22nd time today in Hamburg. The winners will be honored in nine categories in the fish auction hall in front of over 600 prominent guests, including the “Team of the Year”, the “Star of the Year” and the “Surprise of the Year” as well as the “Special Prize of the Editor-in-Chief” and “Lifetime Achievement”.
And these are the winners:
Life’s work
Franz Beckenbauer (received by Heidi Beckenbauer) – the football legend is being honored posthumously for his life’s work. Heidi Beckenbauer will accept the award on behalf of the Kaiser, who died on January 7, 2024. Beckenbauer was world champion (1974) and European champion (1972) as a player, and he also won the World Cup title as a coach (1990). He was THE creator of the 2006 World Cup, the summer fairytale in Germany, and is the legend of his FC Bayern.
Franz Beckenbauer with the World Cup trophy 1974
Photo: WITTERS
Team of the Year
Bayer Leverkusen – the team of coach Xabi Alonso (42) remains unbeaten in the Bundesliga in the 2023/2024 season, winning the double of championship and cup. For the Leverkusen team, long ridiculed as “Vizekusen”, it is the first German championship in the club’s history. Bayer also makes it to the final of the Europa League (0:3 against Atalanta Bergamo). Club boss Fernando Carro (60), sporting director Simon Rolfes (42) and midfield star and world champion Exequiel Palacios (25) accept the award on behalf of the entire team.
Bayer goalkeeper Lukas Hradecky (l.) and Leverkusen’s Jonathan Tah present the championship trophy and the DFB Cup
Photo: Marius Becker/dpa
Star of the Year
Darya Varfolomeev – the 17-year-old will be the first German to win a gold medal in rhythmic gymnastics (all-around) at the 2024 Summer Olympics with a dream performance. She has also been world champion six times.
Convincing in the all-around competition at the Olympic Games: Darja Varfolomeev
Foto: picture alliance/dpa
Surprise of the year
Owen Ansah – the sprinter was the first German to run 100 meters in under 10 seconds at the German Championships in Braunschweig at the end of July. The athlete from Hamburger SV ran to victory in 9.99 seconds. He had previously had to overcome two injuries – first he fought against a pubic bone edema, then against a stress fracture in his foot. In May 2024 he was wearing spikes again – just over a month later his historic run followed.
A big moment for Owen Ansah in Braunschweig
Photo: Sven Hoppe/dpa
Moment of the year
Yemisi Ogunleye – hardly anyone expected her. The German shot putter sensationally won gold at the 2024 Summer Olympics with 20 meters in her last attempt. She almost failed in the final qualification, only making it to the final round in her third attempt and making history there.
What an incredible moment: Yemisi Ogunleye realizes she has won gold in the shot put
Photo: AP
Newcomer of the Year
3×3 Women’s National Team – they thrilled us at the 2024 Summer Olympics: Svenja Brunckhorst, Sonja Greinacher, Marie Reichert and Elisa Mevius won gold in 3×3 basketball. Hardly anyone expected this – in the final they defeated Spain 17:16.
The gold medals of Svenja Brunckhorst, Sonja Greinacher, Elisa Mevius and Marie Reichert (from left) are firm to the bite
Photo: Angelika Warmuth/REUTERS
Special prize from the editor-in-chief
Lukas Märtens – he won gold in the 400-meter freestyle on the first day of the Olympic Games. It was the first German gold in Paris and the first Olympic victory for a pool swimmer since 1988. For this, Märtens was awarded the “Special Prize of the Editor-in-Chief”.
Holding his medal proudly in the camera: Lukas Märtens
Photo: WITTERS
TV-Award
Per Mertesacker, Christoph Kramer, Fritzy Kromp – the 2014 world champions Per Metersacker (39) and Christoph Kramer (33) will delight the audience with their wit and knowledge as a harmonious expert duo on ZDF during the 2024 European Championship. Newcomer Friederike “Fritzy” Kromp (39), otherwise a youth coach at Eintracht Frankfurt, will also impress with her analyses between the two world champions.
Knew how to entertain at ZDF: Per Mertesacker, Christoph Kramer, Fritzy Kromp (from left)
Photo: ZDF/Svea Pietschmann
Amateur Coach of the Year
Christopher Paul – in a campaign with Deutsche Vermögensberatung (DVAG) and Generali, the “Amateur Coach of the Year” was sought. Readers sent videos to SPORT BILD to suggest their coach. The editors-in-chief chose Christopher Paul, who trains several teams with over 60 young people and children at SG Oftersheim. He is also deputy youth leader and looks after the next generation of referees.
Christopher Paul is in his element at SG Oftersheim
