Athlete election 2021: These are the nominees – Liechtenstein
SCHAAN – After last year’s rejection due to the corona pandemic, Liechtenstein’s sportswoman, athlete and team of the year will be elected again today. All three award winners from 2019 can defend their titles. But the competition is strong. Starting today, the Liechtenstein population can vote for their favorites.
Until Sunday, December 5th, when the established candidates will be patient before it becomes known who will be the successors of Julia Hassler, Christoph Meier and the artistic swimming duet Lara Mechnig / Marluce Schierscher. On this evening, the Liechtenstein Olympic Committee (LOC), the umbrella organization of the domestic sports associations, will select the best athletes of 2021 from November 1, 2019 to October 31, 2021 as part of the “Night of Sports” in the SAL in Schaan.
As was first introduced four years ago, there are again three election bodies this year. The Liechtenstein media have a 30 percent share in the election result. The electoral committee 2 (LOC board of directors, LOC honorary members, presidents of the member associations, all former, no longer active athletes of the year, all former, no longer active Olympians, a representative of the Panathlon Club and a Representative for sports department). The remaining 40 percent are votes of the Liechtenstein population. This can be viewed once on the Internet from today until December 2nd www.llbsportaward.li vote for their favorites.
New title is awarded
In addition to the titles in the main categories, other awards are also presented on the Night of Sport. For the second time after 2018, the Coach of the Year WILL also be chosen. It was then that Urs Graf received this title. This year two people have been nominated: Artistic swimming national trainer Francesca Zampieri and FC Vaduz trainer Mario Frick. In addition, this year, in order to do justice to the numerous talented athletes, a newcomer of the year is to be determined for the first time. Five potential candidates were selected by the LOC. Both elections will not take place in public, however.
Trainer
• Francesca Zampieri (national coach for artistic swimming).
• Mario Frick (FC Vaduz coach)
Newbie
• Jennifer Hochstädter (show jumping)
• Jule Insinna (athletics)
• Marvin Schäpper (threat sport)
• Romano Püntener (mountain bike)
• Timea Sele (chess)
Excitement in all three categories
The maximum number of possible candidates was only reached this year for men. Five local athletes are competing there for the title of “Sportsman of the Year”. There are four female candidates in the race and there was only one nomination for team / team of the year. Below you can see the nominated athletes.
(Photo: ZVG)
Team of the year
Artistic swimming duet with Lara Mechnig / Marluce Schierscher
• 17th technical freestyle, Olympia Tokyo 2021
• 9th Olympic qualifying tournament in Barcelona
• 9th European Championship (HUN)
• 3rd World Series, Canada Open (virtual)
• 6th World Series, French Open
The artistic swimming duo with Lara Mechnig and Marluce Schierscher, who won the title last year, will be delighted to receive the “Team of the Year” award this year as well. With the current qualification of a Liechtenstein team for the Summer Olympics, this title is definitely extended.
(Photo: ZVG)
Sportswoman of the year
Fabienne Wohlwend (Motorsport)
• 6th overall, W-Series 2021
• 2nd W-Series Silverstone (GBR)
• 1st Ferrari Challenge Misano (ITA), 2021
• 3rd Ferrari Challenge Misano (ITA), 2021
• Vice World Champion Ferrari Challenge 2020, World Finals Misano (ITA)
(Photo: ZVG)
Julia Hassler (swimming)
• 12th 400 m freestyle, Olympic Games 2021 Tokyo
• 15,800 m freestyle, Olympics 2021 Tokyo
• 16th 1500 m freestyle, Olympic Games 2021 Tokyo
• 6th 400 m freestyle, Long Track European Championships (HUN)
• 8,800 m freestyle, Long Track European Championships (HUN)
(Photo: ZVG)
Léonie Guerra (dressage riding)
• 36th overall U25 European Championship in Hagen (GER)
• 2nd place, Int. Tournament CDIY Donaueschingen (GER)
• 1st individual test, CDIU25 Ornago (ITA)
• 1st GP freestyle, CDIU25 Ornago (ITA)
• 3rd exam St. Georg, Hitzkirch (SUI)
(Photo: ZVG)
Tina Weirather (Alpine skiing)
• 5th Super-G, WM Bansko (BUL) 2020
• 6th downhill, World Cup Altenmarkt-Zauchensee (AUT) 2020
• 9th Super-G, WC Lake Louise (CAN) 2019
• 13th departure, WC Crans Montana (SUI) 2020
• 5th Super-G, EM St. Moritz (SUI) 2019
The women meanwhile face a four-way battle between ski ace Tina Weirather, who has since retired, swimmer Julia Hassler, motor sportsman Fabienne Wohlwend and rider Léonie Guerra. All of them can show strong results. Defending champion Hassler shone at the end of her career at the Summer Olympics with three top placings, Tina Weirather caused a sensation in her farewell season with top 10 places in the World Cup, Fabienne Wohlwend shone with the vice world title in the Ferrari Challenge and 6th place overall in the W- Series and for Léonie Guerra there were also the first podium places at their premiere at U25 level.
(Photo: ZVG)
Sportsman of the year
Michael Lampert (kickboxing)
• 1st place WAKO world rankings, October 21st
• 2nd place, WAKO World Championships in Jesolo (ITA)
• 1st place, WAKO World Cup Athens, February 20th
• 1st place, WAKO World Cup Dublin, March 20th
• 1st place, European Cup Conegliano (ITA), Jan. 2020
(Photo: ZVG)
Christoph Meier (swimming)
• 28th 400 m medley, Olympia 2021 Tokyo
• 44.200 m medley, Olympia 2021 Tokyo
• 19th 400 m individual medley, short course EM (SCO)
• 24,400 m individual medley, long-course EM (HUN)
• 33. 200 m individual medley, long-course EM (HUN)
(Photo: ZVG)
Quentin Sanzo (Monobob)
• 3rd place at the Winter Youth Olympic Games (YOG) in Lausanne 2020
• 4th place, monobob, Omega youth series at Königssee (GER), 2019
• 6th place, monobob, Omega youth series at Königssee (GER), 2019
(Photo: ZVG)
Matthias Kaiser (Motorsport)
• 3rd European Le Mans Series (POR) 2021
• 3rd Asian Le Mans Series LMP2, Dubai 2021
• 3rd Asian Le Mans Series, Abu Dhabi 2021
• 2nd Le Mans Cup LMP3 (FRA), 2020
• 3rd Le Mans Cup LMP3 (ITA), 2020
(Photo: ZVG)
Marco Pfiffner (Alpine skiing)
• 27th downhill, Cortina World Ski Championships (ITA), 2021
• 30th Super-G, Ski World Cup Cortina (ITA), 2021
• 16th Super-G, European Cup Zinal (SUI), 2021
• 10th station wagon, European Cup Zinal (SUI), 2020
• 29th Kombi, World Cup Wengen (SUI), 2020 – first World Cup points
In addition, the five nominated men were able to achieve top results under the Liechtenstein flag. There would be, for example, Michael Lampert’s vice world championship title, or the historic medal from monobob pilot Quentin Sanzo at the Youth Olympic Games in Lausanne. But also well-known FL athletes such as Christoph Meier, who presented himself for the last time on the Olympic stage, or skier Marco Pfiffner, who finished 27th in the Downhill at the 2021 World Cup in Cortina (ITA) or his first World Cup points a year earlier in Wengen fetched, convinced. And then there is motor sportsman Matthias Kaiser, who has been able to climb the podium regularly at the highest level in prototype motorsport over the past two years.
Six have already resigned
What is interesting about this year’s election is that the majority of the nominated athletes have now announced their retirement from active careers. Starting with monobob pilot Quentin Sanzo, via ski ace Tina Weirather or, as recently as kickboxer Michael Lampert. And the trio from the Liechtenstein Swimming Association with Christoph Meier, Julia Hassler and the Artistic Swimming Duo, who won the Night of Sports in 2019, are no longer active. However, they were able to score some successes before their resignations, which will certainly make the election extremely exciting this year as well.
Successful alternative in 2020
Like so many sporting events in 2020, the night of sport had to be canceled due to the corona pandemic. Last year, however, the Liechtenstein Olympic Committee (LOC) also provided an entertaining alternative with the “LLB Night of Sports Talk” series, in which athletes, officials and other personalities from Liechtenstein’s sporting world have their say in six episodes. The joy at the LOC but certainly also among all members of the sports associations that you can meet again physically this year to review the last or the last two years of sports is of course great.
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