Corne de Koning named September Allianz Athlete of the Month

The Netherlands’ Corne de Koning has been voted the Allianz Athlete of the Month for September after a strong performance at the 2018 World Rowing Championships.

The Dutch rower completed an unbeaten season which included winning two boat classes at the World Championships in Plovdiv, Bulgaria.

De Koning triumphed in the PR2 men’s single sculls, and then teamed up with Annika van der Meer to win the PR2 mixed double sculls. His success made him the first Para rower to claim victories in two boat classes at a Worlds.

De Koning received 46 per cent of the public votes. British triathlete Lauren Steadman was second with 31 per cent. Danish Para dressage rider Stinna Tange Kaastrup was third (21 per cent).

Chinese powerlifter Guo Lingling and Swiss wheelchair racer Manuela Schaer were also nominated.

The 2018 winners are:

January – Oksana Masters, USA, Nordic skiing

February – Mac Marcoux, CAN, alpine skiing

March (Best Male) – Brian McKeever, CAN, Nordic skiing

March (Best Female) – Ekaterina Rumyantseva, NPA, Nordic skiing

March (Best Team) – Chinese wheelchair curling team

April – Gemma Collis-McCann, GBR, wheelchair fencing

May – Sareh Javanmardi, IRI, shooting

June – Sevda Altunoluk, TUR, goalball

July – Morteza Mehrzadselakjani, IRI, sitting volleyball

August – Greg Polychronidis, GRE, boccia

September – Corne de Koning, NED, rowing