The Sports Name of the Year () is an annual award presented to the Danish sportsperson or team judged to have delivered the best performance of the year. The award was inaugurated in 1991 and is awarded jointly by the National Olympic Committee and Sports Confederation of Denmark (Danmarks Idrætsforbund, DIF) and Team Danmark; prior to 2019, DIF presented the award with the newspaper Jyllands-Posten. In addition to the award the winner is granted a monetary prize, which as of 2019 stands at .
The Danish women's national handball team and Viktor Axelsen have won the award three times, the most of any team or individual. Six individuals (Mette Jacobsen, Eskild Ebbesen, Thomas Ebert, Tom Kristensen, Caroline Wozniacki and Lasse Norman Hansen) have won the award twice.
The most recent winner was handball player Mathias Gidsel, who received the award in January 2026 for the 2025 year.
List of laureates By year Numbers in parentheses indicate a multiple award winner. The "finalists" column refers to the other nominees shortlisted for the award
YearWinner(s)SportFinalistsRef.1991Mette JacobsenSwimming1992Jesper Bank, Jesper Seier and Steen SecherSailingDenmark national football team Arne Nielsson and Christian Frederiksen (canoeing) Vibeke Toft and Allan Tornsberg (dancing) Connie Hansen (wheelchair racing)1993Denmark women's national handball teamHandball1994Denmark women's national handball team (2)Handball1995Mette Jacobsen (2)Swimming1996Bjarne RiisCycling1997Wilson KipketerAthletics1998Eskild Ebbesen, Thomas Ebert, Victor Feddersen and Thomas PoulsenRowing1999Camilla MartinBadminton Denmark national football team Mette Jacobsen (swimming) Wilson Kipketer (athletics)2000Denmark women's national handball team (3)Handball2001Thomas BjørnGolfDenmark national football team Tom Kristensen (auto racing) 2002Tom KristensenAuto racingDenmark men's national handball team Denmark women's national handball team Wilson Kipketer (athletics) Thor Kristensen and Thomas Ebert (rowing) 2003Nicki PedersenSpeedway2004Eskild Ebbesen (2), Thomas Ebert (2), Thor Kristensen and Stephan MølvigRowingDenmark women's national handball team Tom Kristensen (auto racing)2005Tom Kristensen (2)Auto racing Michael Maze (table tennis) Joachim Olsen (shotput)2006Mikkel KesslerBoxing Michael Rasmussen (cycling) Kristina Stokkebroe and Peter Stokkebroe (dancing)2007Mads Rasmussen, Rasmus Quist HansenRowing Denmark men's national handball team Nicki Pedersen (speedway)2008Denmark men's national handball teamHandball Denmark men's lightweight coxless four (rowing) Martin Kirketerp and Jonas Warrer (sailing)2009Lotte FriisSwimming Michael Maze (table tennis) Caroline Wozniacki (tennis)2010Caroline WozniackiTennis Matti Breschel (cycling) Lotte Friis (swimming)2011Jeanette OttesenSwimmingDenmark men's national handball team Caroline Wozniacki (tennis)2012Lasse Norman HansenCycling Denmark men's national handball team Mads Rasmussen and Rasmus Quist Hansen (rowing)2013Maja JagerArchery Jesper Hansen (skeet shooting) Tom Kristensen (auto racing)2014Camilla PedersenTriathlon Denmark men's lightweight coxless four (rowing) Rikke Møller Pedersen (swimming)2015René Holten PoulsenCanoe sprint Maja Alm (orienteering) Jeanette Ottesen (swimming) Anne-Marie Rindom (sailing)2016Pernille BlumeSwimming Denmark men's national handball team Sara Slott Petersen (athletics)2017Viktor AxelsenBadminton Jena Mai Hansen and Katja Salskov-Iversen (sailing) Caroline Wozniacki (tennis)2018Caroline Wozniacki (2)Tennis Pernille Harder (association football) Michael Valgren (cycling)2019Mads PedersenCyclingDenmark men's national handball team Anne-Marie Rindom (sailing)2020Danish National Track Cycling TeamLasse Norman Hansen (2), Julius Johansen, Frederik Rodenberg and Rasmus PedersenTrack cyclingViktor Axelsen (badminton)Pernille Harder (association football)2021Viktor Axelsen (2)Badminton Anne-Marie Rindom (sailing) Lasse Norman Hansen and Michael Mørkøv (cycling)2022Jonas VingegaardCycling Viktor Axelsen (badminton) Danish national dressage team (equestrian)2023Denmark men's national handball team (2)Handball Viktor Axelsen (badminton) Jonas Vingegaard (cycling)2024Viktor Axelsen (3)Badminton Denmark men's national handball teamAnne-Marie Rindom (sailing)2025Mathias GidselHandballJonas Vingegaard (cycling)Mads Pedersen (cycling)
By number of wins The table below lists the individuals and teams who have won Sports Name of the Year more than once.
WinnerSportYears won3Denmark women's national handball teamHandball1993, 1994, 2000Viktor AxelsenBadminton2017, 2021, 20242Mette JacobsenSwimming1991, 1995Eskild EbbesenRowing1998, 2004Thomas EbertTom KristensenAuto racing2002, 2005Caroline WozniackiTennis2010, 2018Lasse Norman HansenCycling2012, 2020Denmark men's national handball teamHandball2008, 2023
By sport The table below lists the total number of Sports Name of the Year awards won by the winners' sporting profession.
SportYears won6 Handball 1993, 1994, 2000, 2008, 2023, 20255Swimming1991, 1995, 2009, 2011, 2016Cycling1996, 2012, 2019, 2020, 20224Badminton1999, 2017, 2021, 20243Rowing1998, 2004, 20072Auto racing2002, 2005Tennis2010, 20181Sailing1992Athletics1997Golf2001Speedway2003Boxing2006Archery2013Triathlon2014Canoe sprint2015
References
Sources
External links Official website of National Olympic Committee and Sports Confederation of Denmark