The annual «Heroes of Sports Year» Awards Ceremony has taken place in Kyiv.

The winners of 13 nominations – athletes, teams, coaches and administrators – received the most prestigious national sport awards.

The ceremony organized by the National Olympic Committee and Ukraine Youth and Sport Ministry was attended by star athletes, members of sports family, numerous media representatives, artists and show biz celebrities.

'Heroes of the Year' Ceremony is one of the main annual sport events in the country held for the ninth time in succession.

The winners received exclusive awards as well as gifts, outfit and cash bonuses from sponsors of the National Olympic Committee of Ukraine.

Speaking at the opening of the Ceremony Sergey Bubka, Ukraine NOC President and the IOC Executive Board member, said: «Every time I attend the ceremony I have very special feeling and emotions seeing so many generations of sport legend meet together. I feel exceptional pride for my country and fellow athletes as year 2014 have become one of the most successful for Ukrainian sport despite very tough times for our country».
 

«Heroes Of Sports Year 2014» Winners:

Sportsman of the Year

Oleh Verniaev, artistic gymnastics – World and European champion (parallel bars), double bronze medalist of the European championships

Sportswoman of the Year

Olha Kharlan, sabre fencing – World and European individual champion, World and European bronze medalist in team event

Coach of the Year

Hryhory Shamrai, biathlon – coach of women's national team, winners of the relay race at the XXII Olympic Winter Games

Team of the Year (national teams)

Women's biathlon national team – gold medalist in relay at the XXII Olympic Winter Games (Vita SEMERENKO, Juliya DZHYMA, Valja SEMERENKO, Olena PIDHRUSHNA)

Sensation of the Year

Men's quadruple sculls' crew, rowing – winners of the World and European championships (Dmytro MIKHAY, Artem MOROZOV, Olexandr NADTOKA, Ivan DOVGODKO)

Comeback of the Year

Yuliya TKACH, female wrestling – World champion and European bronze medalist

Sport Organizer of the Year

Oleksandr GEREGA – Ukraine Weightlifting Federation president

Strong in Spirit (Paralympic sports)

Vitaly LUKYANENKO, biathlon and cross country skiing – 2014 Paralympic Games double gold medalist, silver and bronze medalist

Together with Olympians (non-Olympic sports)

Anna BEZHENAR, pankration – double World champion, European champion

Olympic Hope

Yuliya LEVCHENKO, athletics (high jump) – II Youth Summer Olympic Games' gold medalist

Sport Glory of Ukraine

Kateryna NAHIRNA, kayaking – 1972 Olympic champion

Oleksandr SHAPARENKO, kayaking – 1968 and 1972 Olympic champion

Contribution to Success at the Olympic/Paralympic Games

Volodymyr BRYNZAK, Ukraine Biathlon Federation President

Valery SUSHKEVYCH, Ukraine National Paralympic Committee President

Hero of Ukrainian Sports (People's Choice)

Female athlete: Vita SEMERENKO, biathlon – gold medalist in relay race and bronze medalist in sprint race at the XXII Olympic Winter Games

Hero of Ukrainian Sports (People's Choice)

Male athlete: Yuri CHEBAN, canoe – World champion in C1 200 m.