Elite athletes awarded
Hrafnhildur Lúthersdóttir, a national team swimmer from the Hafnarfjörður Swimming Club, was named the female athlete of the year in Hafnarfjörður for the second year in a row, and Axel Bóasson, a national team golfer from the Keili Golf Club, was named the male athlete of the year in Hafnarfjörður. The men's football team from Fimleikafélag Hafnarfjarðar was named sports team of the year.
Hafnarfjörður's elite athletes were honoured and awarded for their good performance in their respective fields at the Sports Hall on Strandgata today, where the municipality's annual Sports and Recognition Gala was held. Hrafnhildur Lúthersdóttir, a national team swimmer from Sundfélag Hafnarfjarðar, was named Hafnarfjörður's Sportswoman of the Year for the second year in a row, and Axel Bóasson, a national team golfer from Golfklúbburinn Keili, was named the town's Sportsman of the Year. The men's football team from Fimleikafélag Hafnarfjarðar was named Sports Team of the Year. During the year, the team became Icelandic football champions and also progressed to the second round of the UEFA Europa League qualifying rounds.
Over six hundred awards and accolades for outstanding performance
Every year, the City of Hafnarfjörður presents awards to all Hafnarfjörður athletes who have won championship titles during the year; Icelandic and cup championships, as well as Nordic championships. In total, 489 athletes from Hafnarfjörður have won national championship titles this year in nineteen sports, from thirteen sports clubs. Fifteen teams have won Cup titles, around 170 individuals, in addition to two athletes who were crowned Nordic Champions. These are Ragnar Ingi Sigurðsson from FH for fencing and Hilmar Örn Jónsson from FH in athletics.
Here are Hrafnhildur Lúthersdóttir and Axel Bóasson, the female and male sportspeople of the year 2015.
Seventeen athletes received special recognition for their achievements and performances in their respective sports during the year:
Anita Ósk Hrafnsdóttir, Fjörður Swimming Club
Arna Stefanía Guðmundsdóttir Hafnarfjörður Gymnastics Association Athletics
Audur Iris Olafsdottir Haukar Football Club Basketball
Axel Bóasson Keilir Golf Club
Björgvin Stefánsson, Haukar Football Club, Football
Davíð Þór Viðarsson Hafnarfjörður Gymnastics Club Football
Elín Jóna Þorsteinsdóttir Haukar Football Club Handball
Giedrius Morkunas Haukar Football Club Handball
Gunnar Geir Halldórsson The Thytur Sailing Club, Thytur Sailing
Hjördís Rósa Guðmundsdóttir Badminton Club of Hafnarfjörður Tennis
Hrafnhildur Lúthersdóttir Hafnarfjörður Swimming Club Swimming
Kári Jónsson Haukar Football Club Basketball
Kolbeinn Hrafnkelsson Hafnarfjörður Swimming Club Swimming
Róbert Ingi Huldarsson Hafnarfjörður Badminton Club Badminton
Robert Ísak Jónsson Fjörður Swimming Club
Signý Arnórsdóttir Keilir Golf Club
Trausti Stefánsson Hafnarfjörður Gymnastics Association Athletics
Athletes of Hafnarfjörður 2015
For nine years, the Female and Male Athlete of Hafnarfjörður have been chosen in front of a large crowd, but for twenty-six years in total, the “Athlete of Hafnarfjörður” has been selected.
Hrafnhildur Lúthersdóttir, a national team swimmer from Hafnarfjörður Swimming Club, was named the 2015 Sportswoman of the Year in Hafnarfjörður. Hrafnhildur is a multiple-time Icelandic champion in individual swimming events. She won six gold medals at the 2015 Games of the Small States of Europe, and took part in the World Championships in Kazan, Russia, where she achieved excellent results, becoming the first Icelandic woman to swim in the final of the 50-metre event. Hrafnhildur has qualified for the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio with her achievements and victories.
Axel Bóasson, a national team golfer from Golfklúbburinn Keili, was named Hafnarfjörður's Sportsman of the Year 2015. Axel is the 2015 Icelandic Men's Match Play Champion and Men's Points Champion. During the year, he secured his place on the Nordic League professional tour, becoming only the second Icelandic player to achieve this. Axel is a member of the Icelandic national golf team and competed across Europe during the year.
The men's football team from Fimleikafélag Hafnarfjarðar was awarded the title of Sports Team of the Year in Hafnarfjörður. The team became Icelandic football champions in 2015 with 48 points, and players in the 2015 Pepsi League also named FH midfielder Emil Pálsson the player of the tournament. The team reached the second round of the UEFA Europa League qualifying rounds.
Acknowledgement grants were also awarded by the City of Hafnarfjörður to the sports clubs that have won the Icelandic or Cup Championship title in the top divisions during the year. The grant amount is kr. 300,000 per title, or a total of 3.6 million, distributed among 12 groups. Grants were also allocated to the sports clubs in accordance with an agreement between the City of Hafnarfjörður, Rio Tinto Alcan and ÍBH for sports activities for 16-year-olds and younger, totalling 7,200,000.-
Overall, thousands of individuals have received awards and recognition from the City Council and the Sports and Leisure Committee of Hafnarfjörður, and more continue to join the ranks. It can therefore be said that the sports town of Hafnarfjörður is growing stronger and more prosperous with each passing year.