Van Almsick Named Germany’s Athlete of the Year
BADEN-BADEN, Germany, December 23. FIVE-time European champion Franziska van Almsick has been voted Germany's Athlete of the Year in the annual poll by that country's sports journalists.
Van Almsick, 24, who was voted
Last year's winner was world champion Hannah Stockbauer.
This marks the third time van Almsick has won the award — the other two times were 1993 and 1995, making her the first female swimmer to win the award three times. Swimming legend Michael Gross is the only athlete to be named Germany's Athlete of the Year four times.