The annual meeting aims to reward the performances of our Belgian athletes over the past year.
© Paralympic Team Belgium
Among the winners of this second event was Michèle George. The handisport rider from Ostend brought home two gold medals in para dressage (Individual and Freestyle, Grade V) from Tokyo. This earned him the "Performance of the Year" award from the Belgian Paralympic Committee. The rider has won six medals at the Paralympic Games to date, including five gold.
On the men's side, the award went to not one but two athletes, as the Committee was unable to decide between sprinter Peter Genyn and 21-year-old table tennis player Laurens Devos from Antwerp. Peter is Olympic champion in the 1,000m and silver medalist in the 200m wheelchair race (class T51) while Laurens retained his title in the Para table tennis singles (class T9).
"Talent of the Year" was awarded to the paracycling tandem of Milan Thomas and his pilot Jonas Goeman (class B).
This event saw the addition of a fourth trophy, for "Coach of the Year". Remko Meuusen, coach of many of the winning paracyclists this year, became its first winner. After a master's degree in sports science from KUL, the trainer proved himself in a number of cycling teams, such as the Quick-Step Floors pro team.
This year marked the 61st anniversary of the Paralympic Games, which were first held in Rome in 1960.
