‘Hattrick Harrie’ Lavreysen Sportsman of the Year, Plat Parasportman of 2024

Harrie Lavreysen was voted Sportsman of the Year at the NOC*NSF Sports Gala in Papendal. The 27-year-old track cyclist completed his Olympic hat-trick in Paris by winning gold in the sprint, keirin and team sprint.

With his total of five Olympic gold medals, Lavreysen became the most successful Dutchman ever at the Summer Games last summer. Lavreysen was nominated for the title of Sportsman of the Year three times before, but never won until today.

“I thought: if it doesn’t work out this year, it will never work out,” Lavreysen said on stage. “I have achieved everything I dreamed of.”

Once again the competition was fierce with Mathieu van der Poel, Max Verstappen and Abdi Nageeye as other candidates. Van der Poel, named Sportsman of the Year for the second time last year, won the Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix this year, among others.

Max Verstappen has already received the honorary title three times, in 2016, 2021 and 2022. The Formula 1 driver became world champion for the fourth time in 2024. Nageeye made an impression this year by being the first Dutchman ever to win the New York Marathon. He also won the Rotterdam marathon in the spring.

Jetze Plat was named Parasportsman of the Year. The hand biker and triathlete won three gold medals at the Paralympic Games in Paris, as well as three years earlier in Tokyo, in the triathlon, the time trial and the road race.

Plat was also Parasporter of the Year in 2017, 2019 and 2021. The 33-year-old Plat succeeded para-athlete Joël de Jong with this latest election. Swimmer Rogier Dorsman and handbiker Mitch Valize were the other nominees.