Basketball player Lauri Markkanen has been named Finland's Athlete of the Year for 2023.
Markkanen has risen through the ranks of the game's elite league, the NBA, and this latest award follows on from the Jyväskylä native being chosen for an NBA All-Star Game, receiving the Most Improved Player award, and being the highest scorer in the FIBA World Cup.
"This award means a lot to me. I'm the first basketball player to achieve this award and I'm trying to pave the way. You can achieve great things with passion. Great things happen when you keep practicing," Markkanen said in his acceptance speech.
The Association of Sports Journalists has awarded the title of Athlete of the Year since 1947. A shortlist of 10 names is compiled and members of the association with a press card can vote. Lauri Markkanen is the 77th athlete and the first basketball player to have won the award.
"I'm honoured to receive this, as I know how tough Finnish role models and athletes are. Being on the winners list means a lot to me. Let's forget about the boundaries between sports and take Finnish sports forward as a whole," Markkanen said.
Nicknamed 'The Finnisher', Markannen started his career with HBA-Märsky in the Finnish second-tier league and moved to the United States to play college basketball for the University of Arizona Wildcats. Following a stint with the Cleveland Cavalliers, Markkanen joined the Utah Jazz in 2022, where he experienced a career resurgence.
Capping off his superb season in the NBA, Markkanen came back to Finland last year for military service.
List of 2023 award winners
Breakthrough of the year: Martti Puumalainen, Judo
Most active municipality of the year: Pori
Most active workplace: Mehiläinen
Sports manager of the year: Erkki Alaja
Background force of the year: Harri Syväsalmi
Young athlete of the year: Saga Vanninen, Athletics
Role model of the year: Finland's Davis Cup team, Tennis
Coach of the Year: Gordon Herbert, Basketball
Sports club of the year: Turku Sports Association
Team of the Year: Davis Cup Team, Tennis
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