An evening under the sign of the winners

An evening under the sign of the winners

LINZ. Touch: Coach Josef Schopf was pleased with winner Lukas Weißhaidinger and winner Lukas Weißhaidinger. Experience: LASK won for the ninth time. It was a first for Sofia Polcanova

LASK captain Gernot Trauner won the team title, while Sofia Polcanova, the first table tennis player, is the first athlete of the year. Lukas Weißhaidinger repeated his victory in 2016. An image: VOLKER WEIHBOLD

It was festive, atmospheric and casual in the sport on Tuesday night, when a Sportsman of the Year Oberösterreichs was honored at the Kaufmännischer Verein Palace in Linz. For the 44th time, the election of OÖNachrichten was already organized with Sportland Oberösterreich. A long tradition that has written history and continues to write.

This time it was among others that of Josef Schopf. For the Innviertler an unforgettable evening, he had many reasons to celebrate. First of all, the 65-year-old was allowed to celebrate with his protégé, the discounter, Lukas Weißhaidinger, who was awarded the Sportsman of the Year award. Then, the discoverer and long-time coach of the EM bronze was honored for his work even with the "Golden Lion", the OÖN's honorary prize. Also representative of so many important successful athlete donors who are (almost) never in the limelight. The good news has not stopped for Schopf. Weißhaidinger will not train in the coming days as usual in Vienna, but with him in Taufkirchen an der Pram. Being able to work at home with his "Luki" is like a premature Christmas present for Schopf. "This award is a great honor for me," said Weißhaidinger, winner in front of ski ace Vincent Kriechmayr – whose prize won his sister Jacoba – and cycling professional Lukas Pöstlberger.

While the athlete was at the top of the list for the second time, it was a first for Sofia Polcanova. "I did not expect it," said Europe's number one table tennis enthusiast. His club Linz AG Froschberg postponed a special match in Superliga, which finally paid off. The seven fighters Verena Preiner and Hildegard Platzer – the mother of the lugger Birgit Platzer, who has already left for the Overseas Races – were on the podium with the 24-year-old athlete.

For the teams, the winner was LASK as the year before and for the ninth time. "This award shows that the club is on the right track," said Gernot Trauner. The captain took the opportunity to thank his wife Judith the day before the twins' first birthday. She kept her back free at home and "always makes me sleep well," said the young father, who also felt comfortable in Upper Austrian sports family. Including many legends, whose meetings have promoted one or the other delicacies.

So, the former canoeist Wolfgang Hartl had to make pushups. The reason: between the Los Angeles Olympic starter and Judoka Josef Reiter, there is an agreement that each time the ÖOC draw of the 1984 Games must be supported. If one forgets, the other should be able to entrust him with a task. A story while she writes the choice of the athlete.

Gala evening as the next highlight

After the OÖN Athlete Election Awards ceremony at the Kaufmännischer Verein Palace, the last milestone will follow on February 8, 2019. At the sports gala evening organized by the OÖN in cooperation with the LIVA at the Brucknerhaus in Linz, the best athletes in the country will be back in the spotlight. Unlike the high-Austrian sports family reunion on Tuesday night, the February party party is not a party for a closed society. The traditional gala evening drew the crowd for decades, filling the Brucknerhaus. Also in 2019, there will be an entertaining program with sports, shows and a lot of music.

Tickets are available at all Ö-Ticket outlets, at all VKB branches, at the Brucknerhaus and online at www.oeticket.at.

OÖN Ticket Service: Linz (0732 / 7805-568 | Monday to Thursday, 7:30 am to 4:30 pm | Friday, 7:30 am to 12:15 pm) | Wels (07242 / 248-770) | Ried (07752/80121)

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