Saturday, rower Henrik Stephansen was revealed as BESTSELLER's Olympic Hope 2011.
In Danish
Henrik won the award ahead of shooter Stine Nielsen and 800 m runner Andreas Bube, who were the two other nominees.
“I’m so proud to have won this award. It’s a real honour and I’m sure the financial help is going to help me prepare better and qualify for the Olympics,” said a very happy winner just after receiving the award at the Danish Sports Awards this Saturday.
Check out the video and interview with Henrik
Henrik is one of the great world class talents in rowing, and he is the reigning World Champion in the lightweight single sculls and also reigning World Indoor Rowing Champion. However, both events are non-Olympic, and as such Henrik is aiming to take one on the two seats in the lightweight double sculls, now occupied by two-time World Champions and world record holders. If he doesn’t succeed in doing so, Henrik is aiming to qualify for the heavy single sculls, so he can realize his overriding goal of bringing home Olympic gold.
Facts about Henrik
Year of birth: 1988
Sport: Lightweight single sculls
(non-Olympic), lightweight
double sculls, single sculls
Club: Roklubben Furesø
Results:
- 2011 World Champion in
lightweight single sculls
- Gold medalist at the U23 World
Championship in the lightweight
quadruple sculls
- 5 time World Indoor Rowing
Champion
- 3 time and current world record
holder at the 2,000m indoor rowing
About the award BESTSELLER's Olympic Hope
As part of the Olympic Partnership with Team Danmark, BESTSELLER presents the annual award, 'BESTSELLER's Olympic Hope', to a young, promising Danish athlete and thereby support his or her way to the Olympic Games.
The award is given to an athlete who has a positive attitude and shows great potential within his or her sport. BESTSELLER wants to contribute to making the athlete's Olympic dream come true. BESTSELLER's Olympic Hope is selected on the basis of different criteria such as spirit, personality, international success, background, future, potential and dreams.
The support that the winning athlete will receive will depend entirely on the individual needs of the person. This means that the athlete can receive assistance in connection with his or her sport, education, work etc. The award is worth DKK 100,000, including a DKK 25,000 BESTSELLER clothes sponsorship.