Czech award for Synek

Single sculling World Champion, Ondrej Synek of the Czech Republic has capped off his perfect season with another trophy. Synek has ranked third in the nationwide Athlete of the Year poll voted by sports journalists in the Czech Republic. The results were announced in a ceremony televised live on Wednesday, 22 December.

Synek had already got some clues beforehand: “On the 22nd December on TV the best sportsman of the year will be announced and I’m in the top 10, however I’ve heard that I’ll be in the top three,” said Synek in the second part of interview published on the FISA website on 20 December – see interview here.

According to the official website of the awards event, a part of the award is 170,000 Czech Crowns equal to approximately 6,700 Euros.

This award makes Synek the highest ranking representative of all summer sports in the Czech Republic. In the aftermath of this year’s winter Olympics, the most acclaimed Czech athlete was the double Olympic Champion in women’s speed skating, Martina Sablikova, followed by double Olympic medallist in men’s cross-country skiing, Lukas Bauer.

The Athlete of the Year was first announced in the then Czechoslovakia in 1959. The only rowing winner of the poll was Václav Kozák in 1963, otherwise known as a 1960 Olympic champion in men’s double.

Story thanks to Petr Kubalek.

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