Helen Kevric is Junior Athlete of the Year

Junior athletes of the year have gone on to become world stars

As a young athlete, Kevric is following in the footsteps of many of the great names of German sport. Previous award winners have included Franziska van Almsick (1992), Timo Boll (1997), Magdalena Neuner (2007/2008), Laura Dahlmeier (2013) and Niklas Kaul (2017). Since 1978, the German Sports Aid Foundation (Sporthilfe) has been awarding prizes to successful young athletes; whereas the candidates are initially nominated by their sports federations.

"Winning this contest gives a different feeling than competing because you can't influence the results yourself. But I am very happy because the award shows me that all the hard work pays off. Above all, the award is also a great motivational boost for my further career," said Kevric.

The talent, who competes for MTV Stuttgart, came out on top in a public online vote against decathlete Amadeus Gräber (18), biathlete Selina Grotian (19), track cyclist Clara Schneider (19) and sailor Ole Schweckendiek (18). Kevric had finished second at the Junior World Championships and won a total of four gold medals at the "European Youth Olympic Festival".

Rhine-Ruhr 2025 is still too early for Kevric

The aim of selecting the Junior Athlete of the Year is clear: to support and promote talented young athletes as they transition from junior to adult level. The FISU World University Games play a crucial role in this process. While 15-year-old Kevric may not be eligible for the event in Rhine-Ruhr in 2025, it will provide a great platform for other young talents in the five host cities. Athletes participating in the World University Games must be between 18 and 25 years old.

Further awards presented

At the Areal Böhler, other awards were also given out, including the Sporthilfe Junior Sports Team 2023, the Para Junior Athlete 2023, and the Deaf Junior Athlete 2023. The men‘s U21 national handball team, who won the title at the home World Championships in the summer, received the award among the teams. Maximilian Jäger, the Para Junior Athlete of the Year, became world champion by winning gold in the time trial and bronze in the road race on a tricycle at the World Championships in Glasgow in August. Tessa Lange, the new Deaf Junior Athlete of the Year, won four European Championship titles and set a junior world record in the 100 meters at the European Deaf Athletics Championships in August.