Belgium on top of the world at the Hockey Stars Awards

13/02/2018

At the Hockey Stars Awards, Belgium was paid exceptional great honour when it took no fewer than four titles.

It was the 23-year old resident of Antwerp, Arthur Van Doren who was the major winner of this ceremony that annually rewards the top hockey performers in the world. Re-elected 2017 Rising Star of the Year (after a similar honour in 2016), the defender also won the supreme prize, that of Player of the Year.

The two other 'Belgian' titles were awarded to our famous goalkeeper, Vincent Vanasch, Best Goalkeeper of the Year, and Shane McLeod from New Zealand, Best Coach of the Year. The latter works with the Red Lions, the Belgian male hockey team currently ranked 3rd in the world and finalists at the last Hockey European Championship. This award was received jointly with the Dutch manager of the Netherlands national team, Max Caldas.

However, Belgian hockey fans shed a few tears despite this shower of awards. Indeed, the star of the Dragons (Antwerp) and the new top hockey player in the world decided three days following his reward to leave his club and Belgium to go and play for Bloemendaal, in the Netherlands. Nevertheless, it is an extremely competitive and professional team, where Van Doren will continue to improve for the benefit of our national team and the many titles that await it.