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The year 2024 is slowly coming to an end and this means many ceremonies, in which the best athletes of the year are being chosen in different countries. In Czechia, kayakers and canoeists are traditionally among the best top athletes, and this year was no exception. The 31-year- old Josef Dostal became the sportsman of the year in his country for the first time. Not only he became Olympic Champion in Paris, he also stood on the highest podium position at World Championships in Uzbekistan, where he won in the 500-metres event and won bronze with his fiancée in the mixed doubles event.  

 

The two-meter-tall champion has been collecting Olympic medals since 2012 when he was the youngest member of the successful men’s K4 crew. After three bronze and one silver, he added the most valuable medal this year.

 

“I truly appreciate this success. It’s like a punctuation mark on my sporting story, which is not over yet, but it has reached a peak,” he said on stage during the award ceremony. “Thirteen years ago, I was here as a junior and I told myself that I would someday like to make it into the top ten among seniors. I never dreamed I would win,” said Dostal.

 

The results of the poll were determined by the votes of 230 sports journalists. This time, every vote mattered: second-placed Krejcikova beat third-placed Fuksa by just three points. Jiri Prskavec, Czech canoe slalom athlete, was 21^st this time among the individual athletes.  

 

Josef Fuksa, the grandfather of canoeist Martin Fuksa, received the Commitment to Sport award at gala in Prague’s Hilton hotel. This award is given by the National Sports Agency to individuals for their lifelong contributions. Fuksa fully fulfills these expectations: he himself represented the country and was a long-time coach who contributed to the successful careers of his son and two grandsons.

 

In the team category, the voting was much clearer, with the Czech men's ice hockey team winning by a large margin.