Dafne Schippers, Sjinkie Knegt named athletes of the year

Dafne Schippers was named Sportswoman of the Year at the NOC*NSF Sports Gala in Amsterdam on Tuesday. Sportsman of the Year for 2015 went to Sjinkie Knegt, NU reports. Schippers is the 6th athlete to win this title. This year the 23-year-old athlete won silver in the 100 meters and gold in the 200 meters at the World Championships in Peking, China. She also set the European record in the 200 meters. The 22-year-old swimmer Sharon van Rouwendaal and 24-year-old gymnast were the other two nominees for the Sportswoman of the Year title. Van Rouwendaal won three silver medals in the World Cup swimming in Kazan and Wevers won a silver medal in the World Cup gymnastics in Glasgow. Knegt is the first short tracker to win the Sportsman of the Year title. In March this year the 26-year-old short tracker was the first ever Dutchman to become world champion in short track. He also won gold at the European Championship. The other two nominees for Sportsman of the Year were show jumper Jeroen Dubbeldam and BMX'er Niek Kmmann. Dubbeldam won a gold medal at the European Championship and Kimmann won the world title in BMX.