Hammer thrower Primoz Kozmus and cross-country skier Petra Majdic have been selected Slovenia's male and female athletes of the year by the Association of Slovenian Sports Journalists, which conferred the awards on Thursday.
Kozmus (28) took the limelight in the track and field competitions by winning silver in hammer throw at the 11th Athletics World Championships in Osaka, in what was the best outdoor result for Slovenia ever.
This year Kozmus also broke the Slovenian record (82.30 metres) in hammer throw and was named the athlete of the year by the Slovenian Athletics Association (AZS) in November.
Slovenia's best cross country skier Petra Majdic (27), who won the award for the second year running, has won four World Cup events this year and won silver at the World Nordic Ski Championships in Sapporo, which secured her 390 votes from journalists.
Kozmus (262 votes) beat out gymnast Mitja Petkovsek (247) and NHL hockey player Anze Kopitar (117) for top honours. In the women's section, Majdic beat sport climber Maja Vidmar (114) and track and filed athlete Brigita Langerholc (87).
According to the Association of Slovenian Sports Journalists, the best team are Slovenian volleyball champions ACH Volley from Bled (58 votes), ahead of rowing pair Iztok Cop and Luka Spik (49) and the Slovenian men's national basketball team (20).
On the 40th anniversary of the award, special awards were conferred upon rowing champion Iztok Cop and former skiing star Mateja Svet for their outstanding careers. Cop has been named Slovenian athlete of the year eight times, while Svet had won the award for seven consecutive years between 1984 and 1990.
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