The hockey accolades have continued for Belgium’s Red Lions after the team won the prestigious Flemish Sportjuweel award.
The prize has been awarded since 1982, with the Flemish government rewarding an athlete or a team who has achieved a standout performance during the year or concluded an exceptional career. Athletes can only receive this award once.
“If you look at the list of previous winners and the others nominated, it’s a great honor,” said Florent van Aubel. “We can only be proud of it. This is the result of our performance.”
“We are already Olympic and world champions. The most important and most difficult thing now is to stay on top. Many of the athletes who have made it are now examples for us.”
Top cyclist Wout van Aert, the silver medalist in the road race in Tokyo, and judoka Matthias Casse, bronze medallist at the Olympic Games, were the others nominated.
Meanwhile Belgium men’s coach Shane McLeod, who is currently on a sabbatical back in New Zealand, won the event’s new category as Sports Coach of the Year.
