# Athlete of the Year

Athlete of the Year is an award given by various sports organizations for the athlete whom they have determined to be deserving of such recognition.

## Definition of "athlete"

* In many nations, an "athlete" primarily refers to someone who participates in the various disciplines of athletics (track and field, racewalking, cross country and road running)
* In other nations — including Canada and the United States — an "athlete" equals "sportsperson" (from any sport).

## Similar names for the award

The awards have various titles, examples include "Player of the Year" and "Sportspersonality of the Year". In the United States, several states choose a simple "Mr." or "Miss" prefix, such as Mr. Basketball (Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Michigan, North Dakota, Utah, and Wisconsin). Such awards — general and one-sport-only — are common at the high-school, college (university), and professional levels in the United States.

## List of athlete of the year awards
### Athletics (track and field)

* World's Greatest Athlete (decathlon for men, heptathlon for women)
* World Athlete of the Year (World Athletics formerly known as the IAAF)
* European Athlete of the Year (European Athletic Association)
* Track & Field News Athlete of the Year
* The Bowerman (collegiate track & field's athlete of the year)

### All sports
#### Worldwide

Awards with deliberate global scope, consistently nominating an international mix of athletes
* Laureus World Sports Awards
* TIME Athlete of the Year
* L'Équipe Champion of Champions—excludes French nationals
* BBC World Sport Star of the Year—excludes British nationals
* The Sporting News Athlete of the Year
* United Press International Athlete of the Year Award
* Gazzetta Sports Awards
* Giuseppe Sciacca International Awards Sports Prize
* United States Sports Academy Athlete of the Year

#### Continental

* European Sportsperson of the Year

#### Regional

* BTA Best Balkan Athlete of the Year

#### Nationwide

Awards that focus (either predominantly or exclusively) on sportspersons from the host country
Algeria
* Algeria Best Athletes of the Year
Argentina
* Olimpia Award
Australia
* AIS Athlete of the Year
Austria
* Austrian Sportspersonality of the year
Belgium
* Belgian Sportsman of the year
Bosnia and Herzegovina
* Bosnia and Herzegovina Sportsperson of the Year
Brazil
* Prêmio Brasil Olímpico
Bulgaria
* Bulgarian Sportsperson of the Year
Canada
* Lou Marsh Trophy (athlete of the year, of either sex)
* Lionel Conacher Award (male athlete of the year)
* Bobbie Rosenfeld Award (female athlete of the year)
* Velma Springstead Trophy (female athlete of the year)
* Tom Longboat Awards (indigenous athletes)
Croatia
* Sportske novosti awards
Czech Republic
* Sportsperson of the Year
Denmark
* Danish Sports Name of the Year
Estonia
* Estonian Sportspersonality of the year
Finland
* Finnish Sports Personality of the Year
France
* L'Équipe Champion of Champions
Germany
* German Sportspersonality of the Year
Greece
* PSAT Sports Awards
Hungary
* Hungarian Sportspeople of the Year
Iceland
* Icelandic Sportsperson of the Year
India
* Khel Ratna Award
Iran
* Iran Sportsperson of the year
Ireland
* RTÉ Sports Person of the Year
Italy
* Gazzetta Sports Awards
* Giuseppe Sciacca International Awards Sports Prize
Jamaica
* Jamaica Sportsman and Sportswoman of the Year
Japan
* Japan Professional Sports Grand Prize
Kenya
* Kenyan Sports Personality of the Year
Latvia
* Latvian Sportspersonality of the year
Lithuania
* Lithuanian Sportsman of the Year
Luxembourg
* Luxembourgish Sportspeople of the Year
Malaysia
* Anugerah Sukan Negara for Sportsman of the Year
* Anugerah Sukan Negara for Sportswoman of the Year
Moldova
* Moldovan Sportsman of the year
Montenegro
* Sportsperson of the Year
Netherlands
* Dutch Sportsman of the year
New Zealand
* Halberg Awards
Norway
* Norwegian Sportsperson of the Year
Philippines
* PSA Sportsman of the Year
Poland
* Polish Sportspersonality of the Year
Portugal
* CDP Awards
Serbia
* Golden badge Sport—athlete of the year
Slovakia
* Sportsperson of the Year
Slovenia
* Slovenian Sportsman of the year
South Africa
* South African Sportsperson of the Year
Spain
* Premios Nacionales del Deporte
Sweden
* Svenska Dagbladet Gold Medal
* Radiosportens Jerringpris
* Svenska idrottsgalan
Switzerland
* Swiss Sports Personality of the Year
Ukraine
* Heroes of Sports Year
United Kingdom
* BBC Sports Personality of the Year Award
* BBC Northern Ireland Sports Personality of the Year
* BBC Scotland Sports Personality of the Year
* BBC Wales Sports Personality of the Year
United States The presence of "Sportsman" in the name doesn't imply that the award is open solely to men; women have frequently won these awards.
* Associated Press Athlete of the Year (AP)
* Best Female Athlete ESPY Award
* Best Male Athlete ESPY Award
* Sporting News Sportsman/Pro Athlete of the Year
* Sports Illustrated Sportsperson of the Year
* USOC Athlete of the Year
* Sportswoman of the Year Award (Women's Sports Foundation)
* United Press International Athlete of the Year Award (UPI) (defunct)
* NCAA Woman of the Year Award (student-athlete)
* Best Female College Athlete ESPY Award
* Best Male College Athlete ESPY Award
* Atlantic Coast Conference Athlete of the Year (ACC)
* Big Ten Athlete of the Year
Vanuatu
* Vanuatu Sports Awards

#### Defunct

Czechoslovakia
* Czechoslovakia Sportsperson of the Year
Soviet Union
* Soviet Union top ten athletes of the year
Yugoslavia
* DSL Sport Golden Badge Best Athlete
* Sportske novosti Athlete of the Year

### One sport (other than track and field)

* International Baseball Federation Senior Athlete of the Year
* U.S. Soccer Athlete of the Year (U.S. Soccer Federation) (association football)
* Golden Year Award at association football, Neymar last winner
* Leigh Matthews Trophy (Australian Football League) (Australian rules football)
* Canadian Football League Most Outstanding Player Award (Canadian football)
* GAA All Stars Awards (Gaelic games)
** All Stars Footballer of the Year (Gaelic football)
** All Stars Hurler of the Year (hurling)
** Ladies' Gaelic football All Stars Awards (Ladies' Gaelic football)
** Camogie All Stars Awards (camogie)
** Rounders All Stars Awards (rounders)
* National Football League Most Valuable Player Award (U.S.) (American football)
* Nippon Professional Baseball Most Valuable Player Award (Japan)
* MLB Most Valuable Player Award (Major League Baseball) (U.S. & Canada)
* Players Choice Awards Player of the Year (Major League Baseball) (U.S. & Canada)
* Sporting News Player of the Year (Major League Baseball) (U.S. & Canada)
* Sporting News MLB Athlete of the Decade (Major League Baseball) (U.S. & Canada)
* ACC Men's Basketball Player of the Year (Atlantic Coast Conference) (college/university) (U.S.)
* Baseball America High School Player of the Year Award (U.S.)