Schleswig-Holstein Athlete of the Year Election to Be Re-Run After Voting Irregularities
The State Sports Association of Schleswig-Holstein has announced that the 2025 Athlete and Team of the Year election will be repeated due to discovered irregularities in the initial voting process. A significant number of votes were cast bypassing established technical security measures, rendering the first vote invalid.
Voting to Reopen on March 23rd
The re-vote will be conducted on the #NDRfragt survey platform, opening on March 23rd and closing on April 7th. Participation is open to individuals aged 16 and over, requiring registration with a name and email address – data used solely for election participation and optional registration for further surveys.
Nominees Selected by Expert Jury
A jury comprised of representatives from the State Sports Association (LSV), the Association of Schleswig-Holstein Sports Journalists, and the Hamburg/Schleswig-Holstein Olympic Training Center has pre-selected nominees in each category. There are five athletes and five teams nominated in each category.
The Nominees
The nominees have been chosen based on their achievements throughout the 2025 season, including title wins, strong placements, and notable performances despite facing challenges.
Winners to Be Announced on April 13th
The winners will be announced at a gala event held at the Holstenhallen Neumünster on April 13th, starting at 6 p.m. NDR Schleswig-Holstein is the media partner for the LSV athlete election.
Past Winners
Here’s a look back at the winners from 2001 to 2024:
| Year | Sportswoman | Sportsman | Team |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | Janet Radünzel (rower) | Heiko Kröger (sailor) | SG Flensburg Handewitt |
| 2002 | Marita Scholz (rower) | Mike Maczey (decathlete) | THW Kiel |
| 2003 | Janet Radünzel (rower) | Marco Geisler (rower) | SG Flensburg Handewitt |
| 2004 | Kirsten Bruhn (disabled swimmer) / Meike Evers (rowing) | Henning Fritz (handball player) | SG Flensburg Handewitt |
| 2005 | Bettina Eistel (rider) | Christian Berge (handball player) | THW Kiel |
| 2006 | Melanie Hansen (rower) | Hinrich Romeike (rider) | THW Kiel |
| 2007 | Kirsten Bruhn (disabled swimmer) | Nikola Karabatic (handball player) | THW Kiel |
| 2008 | Kirsten Bruhn (disabled swimmer) | Hinrich Romeike (rider) | THW Kiel |
| 2009 | Kirsten Bruhn (disabled swimmer) | Stefan Schwab (athlete) | THW Kiel |
| 2010 | Janne Friederike Meyer (rider) | Steffen Uliczka (athlete) | THW Kiel |
| 2011 | Janne Friederike Meyer (rider) | Steffen Uliczka (athlete) | THW Kiel |
| 2012 | Angelique Kerber (tennis player) | Lauritz Schoof (rower) | THW Kiel |
| 2013 | Angelique Kerber (tennis player) | Maximilian Munski (rower) | THW Kiel |
| 2014 | Kirsten Bruhn (swimmer) | Lars Hartig (rower) | THW Kiel |
| 2015 | Frieda Hämmerling/Annemieke Schanze (rowers) | Maximilian Munski (rower) | SG Flensburg-Handewitt |
| 2016 | Angelique Kerber (tennis player) | Lauritz Schoof (rower) | SG Flensburg-Handewitt |
| 2017 | Hanna Knüppel (rider) | Finn Schröder (rower) | Holstein Kiel |
| 2018 | Frieda Hämmerling (rower) | Jacob Heidtmann (swimmer) | SG Flensburg-Handewitt |
| 2019 | Anna Behlen (beach volleyball) | Nico Prien (windsurfing) | THW Kiel |
| 2020 | Frieda Hämmerling (rower) | Florian Unruh (archery) | THW Kiel |
| 2021 | Frieda Hämmerling (rowing) | Dominic Ressel (Judo) | THW Kiel |
| 2022 | Tanja Scholz (para-swimming) | Ole Schweckendiek (sailing) | THW Kiel |
| 2023 | Alina Ammann (athletics) | Florian Unruh (archery) | THW Kiel |
| 2024 | Elisa Mevius (Basketball) | Andreas Wolff (Handball) | Holstein Kiel |