On Friday, the cyclist Remco Evenepoel was named Belgian Sportsman of the Year for 2022 by Sportspress. He was handed the award in Antwerp where star athlete Nafissatou Thiam was also named Belgian Sportswoman of the Year.
Going into Friday's award ceremony, there seemed to be little doubt over who would be leaving with both awards as Evenepoel and Thiam had spent the year blowing the competition out of the water.
Remco Evenepoel made this case throughout the year by becoming the first Belgian cyclist in 44 years to win a grand tour at the Vuelta in Spain, which he followed with a victory at the Cycling World Championships in Australia.
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As a result, Evenepoel was named the Belgian Sportsman of the Year for 2022 on Friday, his second time winning the award, with the first having come in 2019.
Furthermore, Nafissatou Thiam was awarded the title of Belgian Sportswoman of the Year at the same ceremony, her fourth time winning the honour. After winning both a European and a World title this year, the heptathlete's crowning came as little surprise, despite fierce competition from the gymnast Nina Derwael.
