The Sports Awards are once again dominated by alpine skiing: Marco Odermatt is Sportsman of the Year for the fourth time in a row, Lara Gut-Behrami wins her third title overall. There was a surprise for para-athlete Heinz Frei.
The winners of the Sports Awards 2024
- Team of the year: Nina Brunner/Tanja Hüberli (beach volleyball)
- Best Talent of the Year: Lucia Acklin (athletics)
- MVP of the year: Granit Xhaka (football)
- Coach of the Year: Patrick Fischer (Ice Hockey National Team)
- Paralympic athlete of the year: Catherine Debrunner (athletics)
- Sportswoman of the Year: Lara Gut-Behrami (alpine skiing)
- Sportsman of the Year: Marco Odermatt (alpine skiing)
Marco Odermatt is Sportsman of the Year for the fourth time in a row
Image: KEYSTONE
Lara Gut-Behrami is Sportswoman of the Year 2024.
Image: KEYSTONE
Patrick Fischer poses with his Coach of the Year award.
Image: KEYSTONE
Catherine Debrunner wins the award for Paralympic Sportswoman of the Year 2024.
Image: KEYSTONE
Granit Xhaka receives the award for Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the Year 2024.
Image: KEYSTONE
Heinz Frei receives the honorary award.
Image: KEYSTONE
Tanja Hüberli and Nina Brunner are Team of the Year 2024.
Image: KEYSTONE
Best Talent of the Year 2024: Lucia Acklin.
Image: KEYSTONE
Marco Odermatt is Sportsman of the Year for the fourth time in a row
Image: KEYSTONE
Lara Gut-Behrami is Sportswoman of the Year 2024.
Image: KEYSTONE
Patrick Fischer poses with his Coach of the Year award.
Image: KEYSTONE
Catherine Debrunner wins the award for Paralympic Sportswoman of the Year 2024.
Image: KEYSTONE
Granit Xhaka receives the award for Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the Year 2024.
Image: KEYSTONE
Heinz Frei receives the honorary award.
Image: KEYSTONE
Tanja Hüberli and Nina Brunner are Team of the Year 2024.
Image: KEYSTONE
Best Talent of the Year 2024: Lucia Acklin.
Image: KEYSTONE
Marco Odermatt's fourth title in a row is a first at the Sports Awards; not even record winner Roger Federer has managed such a streak before him. However, Odermatt has not yet come close to the total of seven awards won by the tennis maestro. However, this was of secondary importance to the 27-year-old from Nidwalden, who came second and third to swimmer Noè Ponti and track and field athlete Simon Ehammer.
The 2024 season was Odermatt's most title-rich to date: he once again took the big globe for the overall World Cup and won the small globes in the giant slalom, super-G and, for the first time, the downhill. His triumphs included the Lauberhorn in Wengen, where he also won the race on the original course after the sprint downhill. "It's hardly possible to repeat a season like that," says Odermatt, who is still setting himself ambitious goals such as his first triumph in the Kitzbühel downhill.
Gut-Behrami talks about difficult times
Like Odermatt, Lara Gut-Behrami also won the overall World Cup - her second after 2016. With 16 podium places, including eight victories in three disciplines, the Ticino native even experienced the most successful winter of her career. "It was an incredible year for me and especially nice that I was able to experience it again with my family," says the 33-year-old, who addressed Swiss sports fans via video after the World Cup race in Kranjska Gora on Saturday and also talked about the difficult aspects of the sport. "After last season, I was completely empty and asked myself what I was actually doing all this for." The start to the new season was correspondingly difficult, although she has since found the fun in sport again.
Gut-Behrami leaves pole vaulter Angelica Moser and shooter Chiara Leone, among others, behind in her category. With her third Sportswoman of the Year award after 2016 and 2023, she catches up with Lise-Marie Morerod, Simone Niggli and Ariella Kaeslin. Only Vreni Schneider is more successful with five titles.
Heinz Frei is surprised
It was a special evening for para-athlete Heinz Frei. For his achievements and his work as a pioneer, the 66-year-old receives the honorary prize, which has only been awarded for the seventh time since 2001. Previous winners include Roger Federer (2022), Adolf Ogi (2007) and Peter Sauber (2005). Frei, who has won 27 Paralympic medals in a career spanning over 40 years and competed in his last Para-Cycling World Championships in 2024, was "completely surprised and overwhelmed" by the unannounced award.
Catherine Debrunner is also delighted with her Paralympic Athlete of the Year award. The 29-year-old from Thurgau earned the trophy thanks to outstanding performances at the Paralympics in Paris with five gold medals and four Paralympic records.
A nice finish for Hüberli and Brunner
The award for Tanja Hüberli and Nina Brunner as Team of the Year is also emotional. For the beach volleyball players, it is "the culmination of a wonderful time together". After nine years, which culminated in winning Olympic bronze in the summer, the women are going their separate ways for the time being. Hüberli has found a new teammate in 19-year-old Leona Kernen, while Brunner is taking a (baby) break for the time being.
The men's national teams in ice hockey and football, who are lagging behind Hüberli/Brunner, can celebrate in other categories. Patrick Fischer wins Coach of the Year, as he did when he last won ice hockey World Cup silver in 2018. Meanwhile, footballer Granit Xhaka is named MVP for a strong European Championship and for his outstanding performances at club level.
A track and field athlete from Aargau is voted the greatest talent. The title goes to 18-year-old heptathlete Lucia Acklin.
Read the live ticker
-
Liveticker
-
Liveticker closed
-
All the winners at a glance
-
Marco Odermatt with his fourth award in a row
Simon Ehammer, Noè Ponti and Marco Odermatt make it into the top three. Third place goes to Ehammer. Second place goes to Ponti and Odermatt wins his fourth Sportsman of the Year award.
This is Odermatt's fourth award in a row - a record. No one had ever achieved this series before.
-
Lara Gut-Behrami is Sportswoman of the Year
Lara Gut-Behrami wins the award for the third time. The public vote puts Angelica Moser in second place, with Chiara Leone in third.
-
Last two elections
There are still two elections to go: Those for Sportswoman and Sportsman of the Year. The telephone ballot boxes are closed and the votes are now being counted.
-
Catherine Debrunner is Paralympic Sportswoman of the Year
Catherin Debrunner won six medals at the Paralympics, five of them gold. The athlete from eastern Switzerland also scoops the Sports Awards. "I've always wanted to be up here and receive this wonderful prize. It is an honor. This award is the icing on the cake of a 2024 season that almost leaves me lost for words," says Debrunner.
Catherine Debrunner wins the award for Paralympic Athlete of the Year 2024. KEYSTONE -
Patrick Fischer is coach of the year
Patrick Fischer coached the national ice hockey team to World Championship silver in 2024 and wins the Coach of the Year award.
"A year earlier, I would probably have won the award for worst coach," says Fischer. "We had a tough time behind us and endured a lot. Thanks to the staff and all the players."
Patrick Fischer poses with his Coach of the Year award. KEYSTONE -
Honorary award for Heinz Frei
Heinz Frei wins the honorary award - and he knew nothing about it, nor did any of the other spectators. The awarding of the prize is a surprise. Adolf Ogi, Peter Sauber and Roger Federer had already received the award in previous years.
Frei competed in his last world championship races in September 2024 at the Para-Cycling World Championships in Zurich. The 66-year-old from Solothurn has shaped the sport for over 40 years, for which he is being honored with an honorary award.
Frei sheds a few tears: "I never, ever expected something like this." He says thank you and talks about an inspiring trip to Canada when he watched the marathon. Seven years later, he went back to Montreal and won the marathon there as the first major race of his career. It took a moment like that to be here today and to keep setting new goals.
Heinz Frei is surprised with the honorary award. KEYSTONE -
Xhaka is MVP of the year: "I'm not a big fan of awards like this - it wouldn't be possible without the team"
Granit Xhaka joins in from afar. The national team captain is in the middle of preparations for the second half of the season with Leverkusen. Nevertheless, Xhaka emphasizes: "He would have loved to have been at the Sports Awards.
Xhaka is a team leader par excellence. He stormed into the quarter-finals of the European Championship with the national team and won the double with Leverkusen. Rainer Maria Salzgeber wants to know what the MVP award means to him. Xhaka's answer: "I'm not a big fan of such awards, to be honest." There is a lot of individual work behind the successes, but they would not be possible without the staff and teammates.
-
Granit Xhaka picks up the MVP of the Year award
The winner of the award was determined in an online vote. Granit Xhaka wins with 38.9 percent of the votes. Kevin Fiala also climbed onto the podium, taking second place with 24% of the votes. Third place goes to Lara Heini with 12.4 percent of the vote.
-
MVP of the year to be voted for
This award recognizes top performers in their team. The nominees are: Kevin Fiala (ice hockey), Lara Heini (floorball), Alina Müller (ice hockey), Lia Wälti (football), Granit Xhaka (football), Manuel Zehnder (handball).
-
Lucia Acklin wins award for Best Talent of the Year
The heptathlete won the silver medal in the heptathlon at the U20 World Championships. The award also means "an awful lot" to her, says the athlete from Aargau. "It was a difficult season. I had an infection at the start of the year and didn't know when or if I would ever be able to do competitive sport again. Somehow the coaches got me fit again." After the World Championship medal, the award for Best Talent of the Year is the next prize for the 18-year-old.
Lucia Acklin (athletics) receives the SRF 3 Best Talent of the Year 2024 award at the Sports Awards 2024 ceremony. KEYSTONE -
Best Talent of the Year
The award ceremony for the Talent of the Year 2024 is about to take place. The nominees: Lucia Acklin (athletics), Malorie Blanc (alpine skiing), Leona Kernen (beach volleyball).
-
Brunner/Hüberli team of the year
An expert jury has decided: Nina Brunner and Tanja Hüberli win the Sports Awards as Team of the Year 2024, while the men's ice hockey and football Nazis come away empty-handed. The beach volleyball duo won the bronze medal at the Olympic Games.
"For us, this year was the culmination of our time together," says Brunner. "The fact that we are here is a sign that our belief in ourselves and each other has paid off." Hüberli emphasizes that the award is dedicated to all those who have contributed to the success.
Tanja Hüberli and Nina Brunner are Team of the Year 2024. KEYSTONE -
Fabienne Louves opens the Sports Awards
The singer puts on a great show at the start of the event. After a few minutes, the stage belongs to the presenting duo Fabienne Gyr and Rainer Maria Salzgeber.
Louves sings and dances to kick off the Sports Awards. screenshot/SRF -
Let's go
The hall in Leutschenbach is full, the Sports Awards are about to begin.
-
The athletes walk down the golden carpet
The Swiss sports stars are here! A quick smile for a photo and then the Sports Awards can soon begin.
Tanja Hüberli and Nina Brunner (beach volleyball) are nominated in the "Team" category. KEYSTONE -
Lara Gut-Behrami is not on site
Lara Gut-Behrami is the favorite for the trophy at the Sports Awards. She will not be traveling to Zurich for the 74th awards ceremony. She is focusing on relaxing at her home in Udine.
-
The nominees
Sportswoman of the Year: Julie Derron (triathlon), Mathilde Gremaud (freestyle skiing), Lara Gut-Behrami (alpine skiing), Mujinga Kambundji (athletics), Chiara Leone (shooting), Angelica Moser (athletics)
Athlete of the Year: Simon Ehammer (athletics), Steve Guerdat (riding), Dominic Lobalu (athletics), Roman Mityukov (swimming), Marco Odermatt (alpine skiing), Noè Ponti (swimming)
Team: men's national ice hockey team, men's national football team, Nina Brunner/Tanja Hüberli (beach volleyball)
Paralympic Athlete of the Year: Catherine Debrunner (athletics), Marcel Hug (athletics), Flurina Rigling (cycling)
Coach of the Year: Christoph Dieckmann (beach volleyball), Patrick Fischer (ice hockey), Helmut Krug (alpine skiing)
MVP of the Year: Kevin Fiala (ice hockey), Lara Heini (floorball), Alina Müller (ice hockey), Lia Wälti (football), Granit Xhaka (football), Manuel Zehnder (handball)
Best Talent of the Year: Lucia Acklin (athletics), Malorie Blanc (alpine skiing), Leona Kernen (beach volleyball)
-
Hello ...
... and welcome to the Sports Awards 2024 ticker. Today, the best athletes of the year 2024 in seven categories will be announced at the SRF studios in Leutschenbach.
