Dafne Schippers, who won the 200 metres at the 2015 World Championships, has been named Dutch Sportswoman of the Year at a gala evening here.
Schippers was the major favourite to win the voting on Tuesday. At the World Championships in August in Beijing, the 23-year-old Utrecht born athlete picked up a gold medal in the 200m in a European record of 21.63 seconds and silver in the 100m. She also won gold at the 60m at the European Indoor Championships in Prague, reports Xinhua.
Sjinkie Knegt was voted the Sportsman of the Year 2015. The 26-year-old short tracker, who took Olympic bronze last year, grabbed a European title in January in Dordrecht and in March he also became world champion in Moscow.
Beach volleyball duo Reinder Nummerdor and Christiaan Varenhors, who finished runners-up at the 2015 World Championships, were elected as Team of the Year and Bart Bennema, the coach of Schippers, was named Coach of the Year.
Wheelchair tennis player Jiske Griffioen became Paralympic Athlete of the Year, 15-year-old swimmer Marrit Steenbergen was selected Sports Talent of the Year and the 1980 Tour de France winner Joep Zoetemelk received a lifetime achievement award.
