They have already achieved a lot in sport this year, but the title hunt is not yet over for these three top athletes from the Rhein-Erft district: handball player Julian Köster and footballer Florian Wirtz from Pulheim as well as judoka Miriam Butkereit from Frechen are up for the felix award nominated. It has been awarded by the State Sports Association of North Rhine-Westphalia and the state of North Rhine-Westphalia since 2007 for top sporting achievements. “The award-winning athletes represent the sporting region of North Rhine-Westphalia in an excellent way in all its diversity,” said the organizers.
Until Sunday, October 27th, sports enthusiasts have the opportunity to help decide who should hold the felix award in their hands at the awards ceremony in Dortmund in mid-November.
Five nominees – chosen by a jury – are available in the categories Para Sport, Team of the Year, Female Athlete of the Year, Male Athlete of the Year, Newcomer of the Year and Football.
Julian Köster
Handball player Julian Köster is nominated in the “Sportsman of the Year” category. When he is not on the pitch for the national team, the 24-year-old with the number 7 shirt leads VfL Gummersbach onto the field as captain. The goal guaranteeer from Pulheim also impresses in defense and is considered an all-rounder with great qualities in handball. He also played a significant role in the national team’s success in Paris 2024: After a successful group phase and a strong final round, the German team secured silver in the final against the reigning world champions Denmark.
Miriam Butkereit
Miriam Butkereit from Frechen takes to the mat in the “Sportswoman of the Year” category. The judoka became German champion in her weight class for the first time ten years ago. At the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, the Hamburg native surprised the judo world by fighting her way to the final. There she only had to admit defeat to the Croatian world number one Barbara Matić and won the silver medal. Butkereit is particularly valued for her powerful fighting style and her excellent technique in ground combat.
Florian Wirtz
Footballer Florian Wirtz from German champions Bayer 04 Leverkusen is considered one of the top talents in international football. He has already been named Bundesliga player of the 2023/24 season. His football career started at SV Grün-Weiß Brauweiler. In 2020, Wirtz moved from the youth team of 1. FC Köln to Bayer 04 Leverkusen. He made his Bundesliga debut there at just 17 years old.
Last season, Wirtz and his team wrote Bundesliga history: Bayer 04 Leverkusen became the first team to remain unbeaten in every Bundesliga game of the season. With this strong performance, Xabi Alonso’s team also ended FC Bayern Munich’s long-standing winning streak. The attacking midfielder is also part of the German national team. In the European Championship opening game against Scotland, Wirtz scored the first goal of the tournament, making him Germany’s youngest European Championship goalscorer. He is available in the “Football” category.
To be on the Internet on the site www.felix-award.nrw To vote, all you have to do is provide your cell phone number for verification. It’s worth taking part: 5 x 2 tickets for the felix award ceremony in Dortmund will be raffled off among all participants.
