The Belgian National Sports Merit Award is an annual award handed out to a Belgian sportsperson or -team for exceptional merit. Players can only win the award once during their career, making this trophy one of the most prestigious in Belgian sports. The trophy is awarded by a jury consisting of (former) sports champions (e.g. Paul Van Himst and Ingrid Berghmans), influential sports people and sports journalists and is led by the mayor of Brussels.

The trophy was established in 1928 by Alban Collignon, as a tribute to the founder of the Royal Belgian Aero-club, Fernand Jacobs. Therefore the trophy was in the first four years known as the Fernand Jacobs Award.

Winners

Year Winner Sport
2023 Bart Swings[1] Speed Skating & Roller Skating
2022 Remco Evenepoel[2] Cycling
2021 Bashir Abdi Athletics
2020 Wout van Aert[3] Cycling & Cyclo-cross
2019 Belgium men's national field hockey team[4] Field Hockey
2018 Nina Derwael[5] Gymnastics
2017 David Goffin[6] Tennis
2016 Nafissatou Thiam[7] Athletics
2015 Belgian men's 4 × 400 metres relay team[8] Athletics
2014 Daniel Van Buyten[9] Football
2013 Frederik Van Lierde[10] Triathlon
2012 Evi Van Acker[11] Sailing
2011 Kevin Borlée Athletics
2010 Philippe Le Jeune Equestrianism
2009 Philippe Gilbert Cycling
2008 not awarded
2007 Belgian women's 4 × 100 metres relay team Athletics
2006 Kim Gevaert and Tia Hellebaut Athletics
2005 Tom Boonen Cycling
2004 Axel Merckx Cycling
2003 Stefan Everts Motocross
2002 Marc Wilmots Football
2001 Kim Clijsters and Justine Henin Tennis
2000 Joël Smets Motocross
1999 Gella Vandecaveye Judo
1998 Ulla Werbrouck Judo
1997 Luc Van Lierde Triathlon
1996 Johan Museeuw Cycling
1995 Frédérik Deburghgraeve Swimming
1994 Brigitte Becue Swimming
1993 Vincent Rousseau Athletics
1992 Annelies Bredael Rowing
1991 Jean-Michel Saive Table Tennis
1990 Jan Ceulemans Football
1989 Michel Preud'homme Football
1988 Eric Geboers Motocross
1987 Ingrid Lempereur Swimming
1986 William Van Dijck Athletics
1985 not awarded
1984 André Malherbe Motocross
1983 Eddy Annys Athletics
1982 Ingrid Berghmans Judo
1981 Annie Lambrechts Roller Skating
1980 Belgium national football team Football
1979 Robert Van de Walle Judo
1978 Anderlecht Football
1977 Gaston Rahier Motocross
1976 Ivo Van Damme Athletics
1975 Jean-Pierre Burny Canoe-Kayak
1974 Paul Van Himst Football
1973 Roger De Coster Motocross
1972 Karel Lismont Athletics
1971 Miel Puttemans Athletics
1970 Freddy Herbrand Athletics
1969 Serge Reding Weightlifting
1968 Jacky Ickx Motorsports
1967 Ferdinand Bracke and Eddy Merckx Cycling
1966 Raymond Ceulemans Cue sports
1965 First jachtwing of the Belgian Air Component Air sports
1964 Joël Robert Motocross
1963 Aureel Vandendriessche Athletics
1962 Gaston Roelants Athletics
1961 Rik Van Looy Cycling
1960 Flory Van Donck Golf
1959 Belgium men's national field hockey team Field Hockey
1958 René Baeten Motocross
1957 Jacky Brichant and Philippe Washer Tennis
1956 Gilberte Thirion Motorsports
1955 Roger Moens Athletics
1954 Adolf Verschueren Cycling
1953 Crew of the Yacht Omoo (Mr. and Mrs. Van de Wielle and Fred Debels) Yachting
1952 André Noyelle Cycling
1951 Johny Claes and Jacques Ickx Motorsports
1950 Briek Schotte Cycling
1949 Feru Moulin Swimming
1948 Etienne Gailly Athletics
1947 Micheline Lannoy and Pierre Baugniet Figure Skating
1946 Gaston Reiff Athletics
1945 Flying personnel of the Belgian Royal Air Force-section Air sports
1944 not awarded
1943 Prince Albert de Ligne General
1942 Pol Braekman Athletics
1941 Jan Guilini Swimming
1940 Fernande Caroen Swimming
1939 Commandant Henry de Menten de Horne Equestrianism
1938 Hubert Carton de Wiart Motorsports
1937 Joseph Mostert Athletics
1936 Ernest Demuyter Hot air ballooning
1935 Count Arnold de Looz-Corswarem Air sports
1934 Union Saint-Gilloise Football
1933 Jef Scherens Cycling
1932 not awarded
1931 René Milhoux and Jules Tacheny Motorsports
1930 Hyacinte Roosen Wrestling
1929 Georges Ronsse Cycling
1928 Louis Crooy and Victor Groenen Air sports

See also

References

  1. ^ "Olympisch schaatskampioen Bart Swings krijgt dit jaar de Nationale Trofee voor Sportverdienste" [Olympic skating champion Bart Swings will receive the National Trophy for Sports Merit this year] (in Dutch). 19 October 2023.
  2. ^ "Wereldkampioen en Vuelta-winnaar Remco Evenepoel krijgt ook Nationale Trofee voor Sportverdienste" (in Dutch). 20 October 2022.
  3. ^ "Nationale Trofee voor Sportverdienste beloont superseizoen van Aert: "Eddy Merckx belde me"". 12 November 2020.
  4. ^ "Red Lions volgen Nina Derwael op met winst van Nationale Trofee voor Sportverdienste". 7 November 2019.
  5. ^ "Derwael sleept ook Nationale Trofee voor Sportverdienste in de wacht: "Unaniem"". 8 November 2018.
  6. ^ "David Goffin wint Nationale Trofee voor Sportverdienste". 30 November 2017.
  7. ^ "Thiam wint Nationale Trofee voor Sportverdienste 2016". 10 November 2016.
  8. ^ "Nationale Trofee der Sportverdienste 2015 | de Belgische Monarchie".
  9. ^ "Daniel van Buyten wint Nationale Trofee voor Sportverdienste". 6 November 2014.
  10. ^ "Frederik van Lierde krijgt Trofee voor Sportverdienste". 6 December 2013.
  11. ^ "Evi van Acker wint Nationale Trofee van Sportverdienste 2012". 8 November 2012.
Categories