AIPS Names Belarusian Domracheva World’s Second Best Athlete 2014
On December 29, 2014, the International Sports Press Association (AIPS) held an annual voting for the best athletes and teams. This year, a panel of sports journalists who are AIPS members from 91 countries voted in the poll. Sports journalists were able to cast their vote at the AIPS website until December 28.
According to the results of the voting, Darya Domracheva, a Belarusian biathlete, three–time champion of the Winter Olympics in Sochi, was voted #2 Best Female Athlete of the Year 2014. She lost only to the U.S. tennis star Serena Williams, the winner of seven titles, including the US Open and her fifth WTA Finals title in 2014, who was named the World’s #1 Athlete of the Year 2014. Williams received 843 votes, which make 21.43 percent of all respondents followed by Domracheva with huge votes’ gap (483 votes, 12.28 percent) and Norwegian cross–country skier Marit Bjrgen with 473 votes or 12.03 percent.
In her twitter account, Darya Domracheva said: “Thanks to International Press Association AIPS. To be 2–nd best female–athlete in a World 2014 after S.Williams is an honor for me.”
Manuel Neuer, a goalkeeper of the German national football team, was named The Best Male Athlete of the Year 2014. Roger Federer, a Swiss tennis star, and Cristiano Ronaldo, the forward of the Spanish club Real Madrid, received the title of the second and third Best Athletes, respectively.
In the Top Team category, the first and the second places were awarded to football teams, namely the Germany national football team and Real Madrid. The third place went to the men’s Swiss national tennis team.
In addition, the international panel chose the Best Press Facilities. The FIFA World Cup in Brazil, the Winter Olympic Games in Sochi, and the Wimbledon Tennis Championship were praised by the majority of sports journalists as the best organized events.
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