Two-time Olympic medallist Matej Benus has been named Sportsman of the Year 2024 in Slovakia.
The 37-year-old had a stellar season that saw him win the bronze medal in the C1 at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
Later in the season, the Bratislava-born star won the men’s overall canoe trophy in the International Canoe Federation Canoe Slalom World Cup Series, his fourth overall C1 crown, after winning in 2010, 2015, and 2019.
This is the first time the Slovak has been named Best Sportsman of the Year and the fourth time he made the top 10 cut.
He is also the fourth Canoe Slalom athlete to be named the Best Sportsman of the Year after Michal Martikan, Elena Kaliska, and Peter and Pavol Hochschorner.
Previously, his best-ever finish in the prestigious national award was in 2016, when he finished fifth thanks to his silver medal at the Games in Brazil.
Benus won 1323 points to claim the title this year beating the likes of middle-distance runner Gabriela Gajanova and tennis star Anna Karolina Schmiedlova.
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“It’s a huge honour for me, I’m in the top three for the first time, and I’m immediately the winner,” he was quoted as saying by Sport24SK.
“While sports results are more important to me, being the sportsman of the year is a great prestige.
“I want to thank all the journalists who voted for me.
“This season was successful, the goal was the Olympic medal, and the overall World Cup triumph was the cherry on top.”
Benus was joined by colleague Zuzana Pankova, who was seventh in the standings with 442 points.
Pankova who accompanied Jakub Grigar as one of the Opening Ceremony flagbearers for the Games in Paris has been a sensation in the junior circuit, winning the European and World Championships.
In 2024, she won the K1 silver at the European Championships in Tacen and finished in an impressive fourth in the C1 on her Olympic debut in France.
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