Athlete Sivan Hasan, the 2019 athlete, created a sensation last summer by winning two gold and one bronze medals at the Olympic Games. At the beginning of this year, Susan Schulting dominated the Short Track World Championship (she won all parts), while cyclist Animek Van Vleuten won the time trial at the Games and took the silver in the road race.

Two of the three men nominated also returned from Tokyo with honorary metal. Despite suffering a broken knee, Niek Kimmann became an Olympic BMX champion, while biker Harrie Lavreysen did well for two gold and one bronze. Both of them can also call themselves world champions. Max Verstappen became the world champion in Formula 1 for the first time, and before today’s final race, it had already been decided his nomination.

Compared to the women’s pre-selection, Shane Brasbeninx, Anna van der Bregen, Jutta Leerdam, and Irene Faust are missing out. Of the men, Rico Verhoeven, Kieran Padlow, Jeffrey Herlings and Abdi Nagyi, among the shortlisted to nomination, did not survive.

Five criteria

Former volleyball player Bas van de Goer chairs the jury, which consists of representatives of the umbrella organization of sports NOC * NSF (including former athletes and coaches) and NOS. The jury uses five criteria against which nominations are determined.