Belgian National Sports Merit Award

The Belgian National Sports Merit Award is an annual award handed out to a Belgian sportsperson or -team for exceptional merit. Players can only win the award once during their career, making this trophy one of the most prestigious in Belgian sports. The trophy is awarded by a jury consisting of (former) sports champions (e.g. Paul Van Himst and Ingrid Berghmans), influential sports people and sports journalists and is led by the mayor of Brussels.

The trophy was established in 1928 by Alban Collignon, as a tribute to the founder of the Royal Belgian Aero-club, Fernand Jacobs. Therefore the trophy was in the first four years known as the Fernand Jacobs Award.

## Winners[edit]

Year  | Winner  | Sport

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|

2023 | Bart Swings[1] | Speed Skating & Roller Skating
2022 | Remco Evenepoel[2] | Cycling
2021 | Bashir Abdi | Athletics
2020 | Wout van Aert[3] | Cycling & Cyclo-cross
2019 | Belgium men's national field hockey team[4] | Field Hockey
2018 | Nina Derwael[5] | Gymnastics
2017 | David Goffin[6] | Tennis
2016 | Nafissatou Thiam[7] | Athletics
2015 | Belgian men's 4 × 400 metres relay team[8] | Athletics
2014 | Daniel Van Buyten[9] | Football
2013 | Frederik Van Lierde[10] | Triathlon
2012 | Evi Van Acker[11] | Sailing
2011 | Kevin Borlée | Athletics
2010 | Philippe Le Jeune | Equestrianism
2009 | Philippe Gilbert | Cycling
2008 | not awarded
2007 | Belgian women's 4 × 100 metres relay team  | Athletics
2006 | Kim Gevaert and Tia Hellebaut | Athletics
2005 | Tom Boonen | Cycling
2004 | Axel Merckx | Cycling
2003 | Stefan Everts | Motocross
2002 | Marc Wilmots | Football
2001 | Kim Clijsters and Justine Henin | Tennis
2000 | Joël Smets | Motocross
1999 | Gella Vandecaveye | Judo
1998 | Ulla Werbrouck | Judo
1997 | Luc Van Lierde | Triathlon
1996 | Johan Museeuw | Cycling
1995 | Frédérik Deburghgraeve | Swimming
1994 | Brigitte Becue | Swimming
1993 | Vincent Rousseau | Athletics
1992 | Annelies Bredael | Rowing
1991 | Jean-Michel Saive | Table Tennis
1990 | Jan Ceulemans | Football
1989 | Michel Preud'homme | Football
1988 | Eric Geboers | Motocross
1987 | Ingrid Lempereur | Swimming
1986 | William Van Dijck | Athletics
1985 | not awarded
1984 | André Malherbe | Motocross
1983 | Eddy Annys | Athletics
1982 | Ingrid Berghmans | Judo
1981 | Annie Lambrechts | Roller Skating
1980 | Belgium national football team | Football
1979 | Robert Van de Walle | Judo
1978 | Anderlecht | Football
1977 | Gaston Rahier | Motocross
1976 | Ivo Van Damme | Athletics
1975 | Jean-Pierre Burny | Canoe-Kayak
1974 | Paul Van Himst | Football
1973 | Roger De Coster | Motocross
1972 | Karel Lismont | Athletics
1971 | Miel Puttemans | Athletics
1970 | Freddy Herbrand | Athletics
1969 | Serge Reding | Weightlifting
1968 | Jacky Ickx | Motorsports
1967 | Ferdinand Bracke and Eddy Merckx | Cycling
1966 | Raymond Ceulemans | Cue sports
1965 | First jachtwing of the Belgian Air Component | Air sports
1964 | Joël Robert | Motocross
1963 | Aureel Vandendriessche | Athletics
1962 | Gaston Roelants | Athletics
1961 | Rik Van Looy | Cycling
1960 | Flory Van Donck | Golf
1959 | Belgium men's national field hockey team | Field Hockey
1958 | René Baeten | Motocross
1957 | Jacky Brichant and Philippe Washer | Tennis
1956 | Gilberte Thirion | Motorsports
1955 | Roger Moens | Athletics
1954 | Adolf Verschueren | Cycling
1953 | Crew of the Yacht Omoo (Mr. and Mrs. Van de Wielle and Fred Debels)  | Yachting
1952 | André Noyelle | Cycling
1951 | Johny Claes and Jacques Ickx | Motorsports
1950 | Briek Schotte | Cycling
1949 | Feru Moulin | Swimming
1948 | Etienne Gailly | Athletics
1947 | Micheline Lannoy and Pierre Baugniet | Figure Skating
1946 | Gaston Reiff | Athletics
1945 | Flying personnel of the Belgian Royal Air Force-section  | Air sports
1944 | not awarded
1943 | Prince Albert de Ligne | General
1942 | Pol Braekman | Athletics
1941 | Jan Guilini | Swimming
1940 | Fernande Caroen | Swimming
1939 | Commandant Henry de Menten de Horne | Equestrianism
1938 | Hubert Carton de Wiart | Motorsports
1937 | Joseph Mostert | Athletics
1936 | Ernest Demuyter | Hot air ballooning
1935 | Count Arnold de Looz-Corswarem | Air sports
1934 | Union Saint-Gilloise | Football
1933 | Jef Scherens | Cycling
1932 | not awarded
1931 | René Milhoux and Jules Tacheny | Motorsports
1930 | Hyacinte Roosen | Wrestling
1929 | Georges Ronsse | Cycling
1928 | Louis Crooy and Victor Groenen | Air sports

## See also[edit]

* Belgian Sportsman of the year
* Belgian Sports Personality of the Year

## References[edit]

1. ^ "Olympisch schaatskampioen Bart Swings krijgt dit jaar de Nationale Trofee voor Sportverdienste" [Olympic skating champion Bart Swings will receive the National Trophy for Sports Merit this year] (in Dutch). 19 October 2023.
2. ^ "Wereldkampioen en Vuelta-winnaar Remco Evenepoel krijgt ook Nationale Trofee voor Sportverdienste" (in Dutch). 20 October 2022.
3. ^ "Nationale Trofee voor Sportverdienste beloont superseizoen van Aert: "Eddy Merckx belde me"". 12 November 2020.
4. ^ "Red Lions volgen Nina Derwael op met winst van Nationale Trofee voor Sportverdienste". 7 November 2019.
5. ^ "Derwael sleept ook Nationale Trofee voor Sportverdienste in de wacht: "Unaniem"". 8 November 2018.
6. ^ "David Goffin wint Nationale Trofee voor Sportverdienste". 30 November 2017.
7. ^ "Thiam wint Nationale Trofee voor Sportverdienste 2016". 10 November 2016.
8. ^ "Nationale Trofee der Sportverdienste 2015 | de Belgische Monarchie".
9. ^ "Daniel van Buyten wint Nationale Trofee voor Sportverdienste". 6 November 2014.
10. ^ "Frederik van Lierde krijgt Trofee voor Sportverdienste". 6 December 2013.
11. ^ "Evi van Acker wint Nationale Trofee van Sportverdienste 2012". 8 November 2012.

* v
* t
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Belgian National Sports Merit Award

* 1928 Louis Crooy and Victor Groenen
* 1929 Georges Ronsse
* 1930 Hyacinte Roosen
* 1931 René Milhoux and Jules Tacheny
* 1932 not awarded
* 1933 Jef Scherens
* 1934 Union SG
* 1935 Count Arnold de Looz-Corswarem
* 1936 Ernest Demuyter
* 1937 Joseph Mostert
* 1938 Hubert Carton de Wiart
* 1939 Commandant Henry de Menten de Horne
* 1940 Fernande Caroen
* 1941 Jan Guilini
* 1942 Pol Braekman
* 1943 Prince Albert de Ligne
* 1944 not awarded
* 1945 Flying personnel of the Belgian Royal Air Force-section
* 1946 Gaston Reiff
* 1947 Micheline Lannoy and Pierre Baugniet
* 1948 Étienne Gailly
* 1949 Feru Moulin
* 1950 Briek Schotte
* 1951 Johnny Claes and Jacky Ickx
* 1952 André Noyelle
* 1953 Crew of the Yacht Omoo (Mr. and Mrs. Van de Wielle and Fred Debels)
* 1954 Adolph Verschueren
* 1955 Roger Moens
* 1956 Gilberte Thirion
* 1957 Jacques Brichant and Philippe Washer
* 1958 René Baeten
* 1959 Belgium men's national field hockey team
* 1960 Flory Van Donck
* 1961 Rik Van Looy
* 1962 Gaston Roelants
* 1963 Aurèle Vandendriessche
* 1964 Joël Robert
* 1965 First jachtwing of the Belgian Air Component
* 1966 Raymond Ceulemans
* 1967 Ferdinand Bracke and Eddy Merckx
* 1968 Jacky Ickx
* 1969 Serge Reding
* 1970 Freddy Herbrand
* 1971 Emiel Puttemans
* 1972 Karel Lismont
* 1973 Roger De Coster
* 1974 Paul Van Himst
* 1975 Jean-Pierre Burny
* 1976 Ivo Van Damme
* 1977 Gaston Rahier
* 1978 Anderlecht
* 1979 Robert Van de Walle
* 1980 Belgium national football team
* 1981 Annie Lambrechts
* 1982 Ingrid Berghmans
* 1983 Eddy Annys
* 1984 André Malherbe
* 1985 not awarded
* 1986 William Van Dijck
* 1987 Ingrid Lempereur
* 1988 Eric Geboers
* 1989 Michel Preud'homme
* 1990 Jan Ceulemans
* 1991 Jean-Michel Saive
* 1992 Annelies Bredael
* 1993 Vincent Rousseau
* 1994 Brigitte Becue
* 1995 Fred Deburghgraeve
* 1996 Johan Museeuw
* 1997 Luc Van Lierde
* 1998 Ulla Werbrouck
* 1999 Gella Vandecaveye
* 2000 Joël Smets
* 2001 Kim Clijsters and Justine Henin
* 2002 Marc Wilmots
* 2003 Stefan Everts
* 2004 Axel Merckx
* 2005 Tom Boonen
* 2006 Kim Gevaert and Tia Hellebaut
* 2007 Belgian Women's 4×100 metres relay team
* 2008 not awarded
* 2009 Philippe Gilbert
* 2010 Philippe Le Jeune
* 2011 Kevin Borlée
* 2012 Evi Van Acker
* 2013 Frederik Van Lierde
* 2014 Daniel Van Buyten
* 2015 Belgian men's 4 × 400 metres relay team
* 2016 Nafissatou Thiam
* 2017 David Goffin
* 2018 Nina Derwael
* 2019 Belgium men's national field hockey team
* 2020 Wout van Aert
* 2021 Bashir Abdi
* 2022 Remco Evenepoel
* 2023 Bart Swings

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