Sports Achievement Awards of the City of Essen 2026

Essen, Baldeneysee, February 24, 2026. The City of Essen's Sports Awards Ceremony on February 24, 2026, once again transformed the event hall on the 22nd floor of Germany's third-tallest city hall into a forum of appreciation and sporting excellence. From 4:30 p.m. onwards, guests, clubs, and officials streamed into the hall before the official ceremony began at 5:30 p.m. The city honored athletes of all ages who had achieved outstanding sporting accomplishments in the past year (2025) – from international successes and German championships to exceptional placements at European and World Championships. The awards committee, consisting of Mayor Thomas Kufen and City Councillor Luca Ducrée, Chairman of the Committee for Sports and Swimming Facilities, presented certificates and the annually changing award to the athletes. The focus was particularly on the youth, junior and school classes, who were awarded certificates of honor and the Essen skyline for their achievements.

A look at the list of honorees impressively shows how strong the young talent from Essen is in Water sports is established. Of the total 53 honored young athletes, 33 come from water sports – around 62 percent. The Metropole an Ruhr confirmed this with the Baldeneysee as a unique watersports destination once again its reputation as a watersports stronghold. In rowing, numerous athletes shone with national titles. Particularly striking were those who managed to win three or even four German championship titles. Among these multiple champions are:

They all secured triple or quadruple German Junior or Youth sprint championships in various boat classes – an impressive testament to the depth and quality of rowing work at Baldeneysee and the Ruhr.

In swimming, Essen's young athletes also performed strongly. In addition to team championship titles for the A-Junior category, numerous individual swimmers impressed with German Youth and Age Group championships. Laura Sophie Kohlmann was outstanding, not only becoming the German Youth Champion and a five-time German Age Group Champion, but also being honored as Essen's Newcomer of the Year at the 2026 Sports Gala. Para-swimmer Mieke Leiße, a gold medalist at the European Para Youth Games, as well as several athletes from deaf swimming competitions, contributed to the impressive overall results.

But water sports were not the only thing that shaped the honor. The TV Essen-Dellwig fielded a strong group of nine young wrestlers, who achieved top national performances in their age groups.
The GTSV 1910 was represented by numerous track and field athletes who won titles in sprinting, long jump, shot put, and relays at the German Junior Indoor Championships for the Deaf. In Cobigolf, Ash Peithmann was awarded German Junior Champion, while in handball, Finn Knaack was honored for his U19 World Championship title with the German national team.

The impressive breadth of Essen's sports scene was evident in the elite and performance classes. The Cobigolfers of ECC Blau Gold won the German Team Championship title, while Dustin Raffler also became German Champion in the individual competition. KSV Essen 1888 dominated in powerlifting with a full team of German Team Champions. In rhythmic gymnastics, Fabienne Beckmann impressed as German Champion in rhythmic gymnastics to music, and Matthias Graute took the title in the elite class in Obstacle Course Racing. Essen's top athletes also made their mark in swimming: the mixed 4x100m freestyle relay set a German record. Cedric Büssing was outstanding, winning several German short course championship titles, securing European Championship bronze, and being elected Essen's Sportsman of the Year.

The Essen rowing clubs also showed strong performance in the performance class. Titles went to Luisa Neerschulte, Irma Schimmele, Pia Kleine Möllhoff, Charlotte Frommhold, Mats Schlieper, Karolin Mersmann, and Julius Kaim, among others, who also won U23 European Championship silver. The athletes of Kettwiger Rudergesellschaft von 1906 e.V. were also represented with numerous national titles, including German Championships, German Sprint Championships, and U23 age group championships in various boat classes such as pairs, fours, double fours, eights, and singles: Lilli Fischer, Lea Schneider, Frida Weiler, Boy Lewe Marks, Paul Martin (additionally a U23 World Championship bronze medal), Lena Siekerkotte, Julia Stoeber, and Lene Mührs. The latter was nominated for the „Sportswoman of the Year“ award at the Essen Sports Gala 2026.

In canoe polo, KSV Rothe Mühle dominated with a long list of German champions. Especially noteworthy are Ben Armbruster (U21 European Championship silver, nominated as Newcomer of the Year 2025) as well as Leon Konrad and Lennart Unterfeld, who won gold at the World Games and received the Silver Laurel Leaf for it. In canoe sprint, Marleen Sits, Leonhard Levien Böhling, Nico Paufler, and Enja Rößeling, among others, impressed with German championship titles and international medals.

GTSV 1910 has produced numerous German champions in kart racing, volleyball, small-field football, and futsal. Tessa Lange was outstanding, winning gold, two silvers, and a bronze at the Deaflympics in Tokyo, and was also awarded the Silver Laurel Leaf. In inline hockey, ESC Eagles Essen West impressed, with their players also achieving vice-European champion titles with the national team. Dance sport was a particular highlight: Naveh Naar Hershkovitz and Jayce Wimalathas became multiple world and European champions in hip hop and won numerous German championship titles.

Heribert Bürvenich and Manfred Leufgen were honored for special services in sports leadership. Michael Konrad, Rolf Bednarzik, and Michael Nowotnik received a token of honor for outstanding coaching achievements. The Kanu Gesellschaft Assindia e. V. was awarded the Letter of Honor for excellent club work.

The 2026 Sports Achievement Ceremony impressively demonstrated how broad and at the same time strong the young talent pool in Essen is. Water sports, in particular, made a clear statement with 33 out of 53 honored junior athletes. The multitude of championship titles – including several triple, quadruple, and quintuple German champions – underscores that Essen develops and nurtures talent. It was an evening that made the city's sporting soul visible and motivated the next generation to continue writing their own success stories. The large number of honors in the elite and performance classes – a total of 126 – shows the radiating appeal of competitive sports beyond the city limits of Essen.