POLL: Who are the Sportsman and Sportswoman of the Year for you?
4 min
After a first round of voting among sports journalists, the nominees for the Sports Gala are known. But who should you consider to be Sportsman or Sportswoman of the Year? And what is your Team of the Year? Let us know by voting in our polls.
Sportsman of the Year
- Remco Evenepoel (cycling): After a serious accident during training, he wins the Brabantse Pijl and finishes 3rd in the Amstel Gold Race. In the autumn he won both the world and European time trial titles and won silver in the road race each time. Ends his season with a 2nd place in the Tour of Lombardy.
- Isaac Kimeli (athletics): wins the Lausanne GP, wins his series of the 5,000 meters at the World Championships in Tokyo and takes silver in the final.
- Ajay Mitchell (Basketball): crowned NBA champions with the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Sportswoman of the Year
- Hanne Desmet (short track): first Belgian short track world champion after gold in the 1,000 m at the World Championships in Beijing, twice gold in the World Cup.
- Emma Meesseman (basketball): conquers a second European title in a row with the Belgian Cats, after winning the final against Spain. Named MVP of the tournament. MVP in the Euroleague for the third time in a row.
- Roos Vanotterdijk (swimming): conquers silver and bronze in the 50 and 100 meter butterfly during the World Championships in Singapore. Achieves 8 medals during the World Cup rounds in Carmel, Westmont and Toronto. Improves no fewer than 11 Belgian records.
Promise of the Year
- Nathan De Cat (football): only turned 17 last summer, but has grown into an undeniable key player in Anderlecht’s midfield. He is now in the interest of a number of European top clubs.
- Jeline Vandromme (tennis): at just 17 years old, she won the US Open for juniors and the Masters in China and took part in Belgium’s victory in the Billie Jean King Cup in Germany.
- Roos Vanotterdijk (swimming): wins 5 medals (3x gold and 2x silver) at the European Junior Championships in Slovakia. He also won silver and bronze in the 50 and 100 meter butterfly during the World Championships in Singapore. Achieves 8 medals during the World Cup rounds in Carmel, Westmont and Toronto. Improves no fewer than 11 Belgian records.
Team of the Year
- Belgian Cats (basketbal): extend their European title after winning the final against Spain.
- Black Devils (rugby): almost qualified for the World Cup. After wins against Brazil and Namibia, only one point against Samoa was missing to ensure that stunt.
- Union SG (football): won its first national title in 90 years, with a record of 28 points out of 30 in the play-offs. Surprised PSV on its own field in the Champions League.
Coach of the Year
- Steve Darcis (tennis): captain of the Davis Cup team that reached the semi-finals against Italy.
- Vincent Kompany (football): immediately became champion in his first year as coach of Bayern Munich. Counted 16 consecutive wins across all competitions this season.
- Mike Thibault (Basketball): guided the Belgian Cats to final victory at the European Basketball Championship.
Paralympian of the Year
- Léa the 100ths: After great performances in Paris 2024, she now also proved it in 2025. After being a double Paralympic champion, she can now also call herself a double world champion in the 400m and 800m in the T54 class.
- Tim Celen (G cycling): a year in which he won almost everything there was to win: 3 x gold and 1 x bronze at the World Cups in Maniago and Ostend, but above all: double world champion at the World Cup in his own country in Ronse.
- Laurens Devos (G table tennis): Devos remains undefeated in his class (TT9). This year he is once again on the highest step in Sweden, where he has once again been crowned European champion for the 5th time in a row.
