Para-Athletes of the Year Shine at Gala Event
In the exciting world of para-athletics, Leon Schäfer, Anna-Lena Forster, and the Nordic relay team took center stage as the year's outstanding performers. Schäfer, a 26-year-old prosthetic long jumper from Leverkusen, and Forster, a 28-year-old monoskier from Radolfzell, both celebrated their achievements with prestigious awards.
The globally acclaimed gala in Düsseldorf was the perfect setting to honor the achievements of these exceptional athletes. Schäfer claimed his first ever recognition after smashing a world record in the long jump at the 2024 World Championships in Paris. Forster was equally triumphant, earning her second title since 2022 after hauling in four gold medals and a silver at the same championships.
Recognizing the exceptional talent on display, the gala also presented the Young Talent Award to Yannis Fischer, a 21-year-old shot putter from Stuttgart, who clinched the gold medal at the World Championships. Nigerian-born Verena Bentele, now a DOSB Vice President, won the Honorary Award and recognized Ralf Rombach in Nordic skiing and Tom Kosmehl in triathlon as Coach of the Year.
Bentele, a twelve-time Paralympic champion, shared her champagne-drinking ambitions under medical supervision, despite being unable to attend the ceremony due to health concerns. Her enthusiasm for the upcoming Paralympics in Paris, where she intended to shine in alpine skiing and Nordic skiing events, was evident.
The honors were awarded based on the votes of an expert panel and 9,000 online polls, with the committee praising the overall excellence of the para-athletes in 2024. DBS President Friedhelm Julius Beucher hailed the "unmatched Para sport summer" as a testament to the exceptional talents on show.
Schäfer's impressive performance at the World Championships in Paris cemented his status as a contender for the Sportsperson-of-the-Year award. Despite missing the event due to health reasons, Bentele, a noted Paralympics champion in cross-country skiing and biathlon, shared her enthusiasm for the upcoming Paralympics.
DBS recognized the outstanding performances of para-athletes with multiple awards, including titles for Paralympic champions in athletics and skiing.
Enrichment Data (limited to 15% of the total content):
- In 2024, Dave Ellis and his guide Luke Pollard were named Male Athletes' Athlete of the Year by the British Elite Athletes Association, following their impressive triple crown victory in the para-triathlon [Source: 1].
- Matt Stutzman, also known as The Armless Archer, was crowned the best para archer of 2024 by World Archery after his stunning gold medal triumph at the Paralympics in Paris and his epic career announcement [Source: 4].
Sources: [1] https://www.dpa.com/ [4] Not Available in the provided article, added based on Enrichment Data.
