Stars of Rio 2016 honoured at third edition of ANOC Awards in Doha

The spectacular 2016 ANOC Awards took place tonight as the world’s NOCs and representatives from throughout the Olympic Movement came together to celebrate and honour the best sporting achievements from the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.

The ANOC Awards 2016, organised by the Qatar Olympic Committee, showed sport’s power to unite different nations and cultures as delegates from 205 NOCs gathered at the state-of-the-art Qatar Convention Centre for the third edition of the awards. The ceremony was broadcast live by Al Kass and on the ANOC YouTube Chanel and was distributed to broadcasters all around the world.

The worthy winners of an ANOC Award for the Olympic Games were:

· Best Female Athlete of Rio 2016: Monica Puig (Tennis), from the Comité Olímpico de Puerto Rico

· Best Male Athlete of Rio 2016: Wayde Van Niekerk (Athletics), from the South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee

· Best Female Team of Rio 2016: Team GB Hockey (Hockey), accepted by Hollie Webb, from the British Olympic Association

· Best Male Team of Rio 2016: Team Fiji Rugby Sevens (Rugby Sevens), accepted by Osea Kolinisau, from the Fiji Association of Sports and National Olympic Committee

· ANOC Award for Most Inspirational Performance: Rafaela Lopes Silva, from the Brazilian Olympic Committee

· Most Successful NOC of Rio 2016: Team GB, accepted by Lord Coe

Breakthrough NOC awards were also presented to the NOCs who won their first ever Olympic medal or first ever Olympic gold medal at Rio 2016:

· Bahrain Olympic Committee – accepted by Ruth Jebet (Athletics) and Comité National Olympique de Côte d'Ivoire Secretary General Mr Abdulrahman Askar

· Comité National Olympique de Côte d'Ivoire - accepted by Cheick Sallah Cisse (Taekwondo) and Comité National Olympique de Côte d'Ivoire Vice President, Mr Alain Frederic Ekra

· Fiji Association of Sports and National Olympic Committee – accepted by Osea Kolinisau (Rugby Sevens) and Fiji Association of Sports and National Olympic Committee President Mr Joseph Rodan

· Jordan Olympic Committee – accepted by Ahmad Abughaush (Taekwondo) and Jordan Olympic Committee Secretary General, Mr Nasser Majali.

· Kosovo Olympic Committee – accepted by Majlinda Kelmendi (Judo) and Kosovo Olympic Committee President Mr Besim Hasani

· Comité Olímpico de Puerto Rico – accepted by Monica Puig (Tennis) and Comité Olímpico de Puerto Rico President Mrs Sara Rosario

· Singapore National Olympic Council (Aquatics) – accepted by Singapore National Olympic Council Secretary General, Mr Christopher Chan

· National Olympic Committee of the Republic of Tajikistan (Athletics) - accepted by National Olympic Committee of the Republic of Tajikistan Secretary General, Mr Bahrullo Rajabaliev

· Vietnam Olympic Committee (Shooting) –accepted by Vietnam Olympic Committee Vice Chairman Mr Giang Hoang Vinh

The following individual awards were also presented:

· ANOC Award for Inspiring Hope through Sport: Refugee Olympic Team – accepted by Tegla Loroupe Chef de Mission of the Refugee Olympic Team

· ANOC Award for the Success of Rio 2016: Carlos Arthur Nuzman (Brazil)

· ANOC Award for Contribution to the Olympic Movement: H.H. Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad AlThani (Qatar) – accepted on His Highness the Emir of Qatar’s behalf by His Excellency Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al Thani, President of the Qatar Olympic Committee

ANOC President Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Sabah said:

"The Rio 2016 Olympic Games produced many memorable sporting memories created by inspirational athletes from around the world. The athletes and their respective NOCs are at the very heart of every Olympic Games. It is their hard work and commitment that contributes to the success of the Games and it is important these achievements are recognised and honoured.

"Tonight has been a fantastic evening for the world’s NOCs, an opportunity to thank and give back to them after all they give to the Olympic Movement."

The award winners were selected by the ANOC Jury which comprises representatives from each of the Continental Associations, the ANOC Athletes’ Commission Chair, ASOIF President, ANOC Secretary General and media representatives. The jury collated a shortlist of candidates during the Games and then met after the conclusion of Rio 2016 to determine the winners.

For more information, please contact:

Justin Shea

Tel: +44 7917 825 412

Email: media@anocolympic.org

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