Jayce
The 2024 BEC Conference concluded last night with the BEC Awards Ceremony held in Budapest, Hungary, marking the end of two days of enriching discussions and exchanges. The ceremony aimed to recognize individuals who have made a significant impact on European badminton through their outstanding performances and dedication.
Spanish player Carolina Marin was once again awarded the BEC Female Player of the Year. In 2023, Marin won the gold medal at the European Games, claimed the Orleans Masters title, and reached five finals, including the World Championships and the World Tour Finals.
The BEC Male Player of the Year award was jointly awarded to Danish pair Kim Astrup and Anders Skaarup Rasmussen. They achieved remarkable success last year, winning five titles, including the gold medal at the European Games and the silver medal at the Copenhagen World Championships.
French player Alex Lanier was named BEC Young Player of the Year for the third consecutive time, recognizing his rising prominence in the sport.
A major highlight of the evening was the induction of Jens Eriksen into the BEC Hall of Fame. Eriksen’s illustrious career includes two All England gold medals, a prestigious Olympic bronze medal, and multiple European Championship titles.
Here is the complete list of winners:
BEC Male Player of the Year
Kim Astrup and Anders Skaarup Rasmussen, Denmark
BEC Female Player of the Year
Carolina Marin, Spain
BEC Young Player of the Year
Alex Lanier, France
BEC Senior Player of the Year
Jan-Eric Antonsson, Sweden
BEC Para-Badminton Player of the Year
Du Wenqi, Belgium
European Fan Player of the Year
Helle Sofie Sagøy, Norway
BEC Coach of the Year
Thomas Staurvander, Denmark
BEC Social Media Award
Apo Puhakka, Finland
BEC Best Shot of the Year
Jan Colin Völker, Germany
BEC Technical Officials Award
Bjarne and Birgit Eriksen, Denmark
BEC Hall of Fame
Jens Eriksen, Denmark
The judging panel for this year’s BEC Awards Ceremony comprised Sven Serré, President of Badminton Europe; Renna Unt, Chair of the Badminton Europe Events Committee; Brian Agerbak, Secretary General of Badminton Europe; Kai Schäfer, Chair of the Badminton Europe Athletes’ Committee; and Rasmus Bech, writer, badminton commentator, and former Communications Manager for Badminton Europe.
