Retiring Olympic gold medal high-jumper Tia Hellebaut received the Sports Personality of the Year award from Flemish minister-president Kris Peeters last weekend. Hellebaut, who will stop with athletics now that she is pregnant, received the highest number of votes ever cast for a woman sports figure: only one of the journalists and photographers taking part in the vote failed to put her in first place. The men’s award was won by mountain biker Sven Nys. The Olympic silver medal-winning 4x100m relay team led by Kim Gevaert won the team award, and Gevaert, together with Justine Henin, won career awards. Newcomer of the Year was swimming hopeful Elise Matthysen.