30-year-old Maze set a new milestone in alpine skiing last season. Maze, originating from the Koroška region, won the Big Crystal Globe and a record amount of points in one season - 2.414. Apart from the big globe she also won several small crystal globes for being the overall winner in the giant slalom, super G, and super combined disciplines.
Maze ahead of Žakelj and Polavder
The native of Črna na Koroškem was victorious 11 times in her champion season and stood on the podium 24 times. At the World Cup in Schladming she became the world champion in super G, and won silver in the super combined and giant slalom disciplines. The 132 members of the Slovenian Association of Sports Journalists awarded 390 points to Maze. She was followed by mountain bike racer and European champion, Tanja Žakelj (195) and judoka Lucija Polavder (93), who is also one of the best in Europe in her sport.
"I have in my hands a very important award. An award for which, in Slovenia, you need to have really good results. I thank you with all my heart. I'm even happier if my results make people happy and bring positive and sometimes even negative emotions. A big thanks for the great support. Thanks also to mom and dad," was Maze's message from Val d'Isere.
Prevc overtook Dragić and Mohorič
21-year-old Prevc won two medals, silver and bronze, at the World Cup in Predazzo. With 199 points he managed to win more votes than basketball player Goran Dragić (155) and cyclist Matej Mohorič (98), the under-23 world champion. "I would like to thank you all for the Athlete of the Year award and all the journalists who voted for me. I obviously gave them too much work in February, so they still remember me in December," said Prevc in his style.
"The lynxes" got one point more than the handball players
Slovenia's ice hockey players won the title of best sports team thanks to qualifying for the Olympic Games in Sochi. "The lynxes" received only one point more (36) from the national handball team, which won 4th place at the World Handball Championships in Spain. Slovenia's ski jumpers came in third (28). "I would like to thank the Slovenian Association of Sports Journalists for awarding us with this prestigious prize. Every team, which was successful in 2013, deserves to stand here. As Slovenian athletes we set high goals for ourselves, sometimes even goals bordering on the impossible. Three years ago our ice hockey team set such a goal. Some said: 'They've gone mad, they're crazy'. Well, that crazy goal has now been achieved. I'd like to thank all the boys, who couldn't be here today due to club obligations, and all the fans that follow our athletes in all sports and stand by our side, in good and bad. I hope we'll make them happy again at the Olympic Games," said the assistant of team coach Matjaž Kopitar, Nik Zupančič, who received the award.
Slovenia's Olympic Committee also gave out golden plaques to Tina Maze, Rok Marguč, Peter Prevc, Vlora Beđeti, Benjamin Savšek, Špela Ponomarenko Janić, Jakov Fak, Franka Anić, Ivan Trajković, Sašo Bertoncelj and Tanja Žakelj.
Awards presented by successful Slovenians from different fields
The Slovenian Association of Sports Journalists organized the Athlete of the Year event in the Gallus Hall of the Cankarjev Dom together with Radio Television Slovenia (RTVS) and the Slovenian Olympic Committee (OKS) for the 23rd time. Altogether it was the 46th edition of the event. The show was hosted by Mojca Mavec and Saša Jerković. The event also featured musical appearances by Niet, Phonomonics, Hellcats and Nika Zorjan. Successful Slovenians from different fields were among the presenters of the awards: Dušan Velkavrh, a legendary Slovenian singer of popular songs, director Rok Biček, Matevž Lenarčič, who flew around the world in an ultra light plane, the recipient of a Michelin star Andrej Kuhar, businessmen Ivo Boscarol and Marjan Batagelj, the winner of the Borštnik Ring theater prize Olga Kacjan ...
