Sports Awards 2024 –
Granit Xhaka is “MVP of the year” – does Noè Ponti surpass Marco Odermatt?
The Swiss athlete and the female athlete of the past year will be elected on Sunday evening. Lara Gut-Behrami is considered the favorite among the women – while there is a duel among the men.
Posted today at 8:08 p.m.
Had a good year: world record swimmer Noè Ponti.
Photo : David Balogh (Getty Images)
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In addition to Athletes of the Year, athletes, coaches and teams are also honored in the following categories:
“MVP of the year”: footballer Granit Xhaka
Granit Xhaka is the Most Valuable Player of the Year. The captain of the Swiss national football team was representative of the strong performance at the European Championships in Germany last summer. The Basel native won the league and cup double with his club Bayer Leverkusen and reached the Europa League final.
Xhaka was unable to be there due to preparations with Bayer Leverkusen, but he came by video to Zurich. The midfielder dedicated this award to his teammates and members of his staff: “I’m not a big fan of individual awards like this. Because like I said: success is not possible alone. It takes the team, the coaches and the staff.
MVP voting took place online. Granit Xhaka received almost 40% of the votes and beat ice hockey player Kevin Fiala and floorball player Lara Heini.
MVP of the year: Granit Xhaka.
Photo : Claudio Thoma (Freshfocus)
“Paralympic Athlete of the Year”: Catherine Debrunner
Catherine Debrunner is “Paralympic Athlete of the Year”. The 29-year-old won five gold medals and one silver at the 2024 Paralympics. The Thurgau capped off her dream year by winning the inaugural Paralympic Athlete of the Year award. She’s been watching the Sports Awards with her sister for years and now stands on this stage with so many athletes, which is a huge privilege. Debrunner won against Flurina Rigling and Marcel Hug.
Paralympic Athlete of the Year: Catherine Debrunner
Photo : Claudio Thoma (Freshfocus)
“Coach of the Year”: national ice hockey coach Patrick Fischer
Patrick Fischer is “Coach of the Year”. The men’s national ice hockey coach led his team to a silver medal at the World Cup in May 2024. “It is my players who represent the country with pride. “I would like to thank my staff and all the players for their trust,” said the Zougois. Fischer especially thanked his wife, who was his support and was always there for him. This is the second time Fischer has been named coach of the year. This honor was already bestowed on him in 2018, when Switzerland also won silver at the World Championships. The 49-year-old won against Marco Odermatt’s coach Helmut Krug and beach volleyball coach Christoph Dieckmann.
Coach of the year: Patrick Fischer.
Photo : Claudio Thoma (Freshfocus)
“Team of the Year”: beach volleyball duo Tanja Hüberli and Nina Brunner
Beach volleyball players Nina Brunner and Tanja Hüberli win the “Team of the Year” award. Brunner and Hüberli won bronze at the Olympic Games in Paris in the summer of 2024. After nine years, the team split at the end of last season. “This year has been like the culmination of our wonderful period,” Brunner said on stage at the SRF studio. Nina Brunner and Tanja Hüberli won against the men’s national football team and the men’s national ice hockey team.
Team of the Year 2024: Tanja Hüberli and Nina Brunner.
Photo : Claudio Thoma (Freshfocus)
« SRF 3 Best Talent Sport » : l’heptathlète Lucia Acklin
The youngest athlete among the nominated talents won the “SRF 3 Best Talent Sport” award. The 18-year-old won silver at the U-20 World Championships last year. Acklin is visibly emotional after the election and explains that it has been a difficult season for her. Last year, she suffered from an infection which slowed her down: “I didn’t know if I would ever be able to do competitive sport again. But I also came back thanks to my coaches. The Argovienne won against skier Malorie Blanc and beach volleyball player Leona Kernen.
SRF 3 Best Sports Talent: Lucia Acklin.
Photo : Claudio Thoma (Freshfocus)
Prix d’honneur: the legend of sport en fauteuil roulant Heinz Frei
This year the honorary prize was awarded for the seventh time and parasport legend Heinz Frei was able to accept it. The 66-year-old competed in his final races at the Para-cycling World Championships in Zurich last year. In total, the Solothurn was a top athlete for four decades. “I really never expected anything like this,” Frei said in an emotional acceptance speech.
Receives the honorary prize for his life’s work: Heinz Frei.
Photo : Claudio Thoma (Freshfocus)
Due to the numerous events linked to winter sports, the gala (8:05 p.m., SRF 1), hosted by Fabienne Gyr and Rainer Maria Salzgeber, will take place on January 5, 2025 and not on the original date in the first half of December. As usual, the athletes will be honored in the SRF studios in Zurich. Sports performances from November 2023 to October 2024 will be taken into account.
The Athlete of the Year election is decided by spectators, who can vote for their favorite by phone or online. The remaining five categories were determined by different specialist committees.
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