2013 Best Sportsmen and Sportswomen Award Finalists

Men"s Category:

WINNER with 67 points: Simon CHERONO (Athletics)
Born 24.07.1989, Simon Cherono of Kenya turned in impressive series of performances at the 2013 Deaflympics in Sofia, winning individual gold medals in the following events:
- 1500m
- 5000m
- 10000m
In addition to winning the gold medals, Simon also set new records in the following events:
- 5000m (14:02.90 – World and Deaflympics Record)
- 10000m (29:16.00 – Deaflympic Record)
Cherono was clearly the men"s athletics star in a competition of high quality in which 16 World Records, 19 World Junior Records and 37 Deaflympic Records had been set. The new records were the most that had ever been achieved in a single Deaflympics.

FINALIST with 46 points: Vitaly OBOTIN (Swimming)
Born 22.05.1992, Vitaly Obotin of the Russian Federation earned six (6) medals in all of the individual events he was in during the 2013 Summer Deaflympics at Sofia, Bulgaria: Four (4) Gold and two (2) Silver medals. The three (3) events earned top ten (10) FINA points (with finish times closest to hearing world record). Obotin also anchored three (3) relays, of which he earned three (3) Gold medals and one (1) World Record. In total for all the swimming events he competed in, he earned nine (9) medals: seven (7) Gold and two (2) Silver.

Obotin"s Swimming events at 2013 Summer Deaflympics.
- 100m Freestyle Gold 52.56 FINA points (5th) 710
- 200m Freestyle Gold 1:54.32 RNA points (5th) 710
- 400m Freestyle Silver 4:06.59 FINA points (5th) 710
- 1500m Freestyle Silver 16:25.14 FINA points 691
- 200m Medley Gold 2:08.64 FINA points 695
- 400m Medley Gold 4:34.77 FINA points 701
- 4x100m Freestyle Relay Gold 3:35.05 FINA points 670
- 4x200m Freestyle Relay Gold 7:47.03 FINA points 719 World Record
- 4x100m Medley Relay Gold 5:55.50 FINA points 681

FINALIST with 28 points: Sookeun CHOI (Shooting)
Born 19.01.1983, Sookeun Choi of Korea earned a Gold medal for shooting during the 2013 Deaflympics at Sofia, Bulgaria. He also won gold medals from previous Deaflympics:
- 2001 in Rome
- 2005 in Melbourne
- 2009 in Taipei

FINALIST with 22 points: Philipp STEINER (Alpine Skiing)
Born 23.11.1987, Philipp Steiner of Switzerland earned four (4) Gold medals in downhill, giant slalom, super-G, and Super-combined skiing and a Bronze medal in slalom at the 1st World Deaf Alpine Skiing Championship in 2013 at Nesselwang / Germany. He was also a winner of Deaf Europacup Alpine Skiing in 2013 and an Updriver at the World longest downhill race.

FINALIST with 11 points: Seongjo AN (Bowling)
Born 11.02.1989, An Seongjo of Korea won three (3) gold medals and one (1) silver in the 2013 Deaflympics at Sofia, Bulgaria. He also set two (2) new records. A humble and excellent bowler, he was very friendly and respectful to all. He showed excellent leadership and was able to maintain positive attitude. He also competed and earned medals in the 2009 Deaflympics and World Bowling Championship in 2011.

Women"s Category:

WINNER with 79 points: Yue Yue HE (Swimming)
Born 01.11.1991, Yue Yue HE of China competed in the 2013 Summer Deaflympics at Sofia Bulgaria, earning five (5) Gold medals from each individual swimming event. The three (3) events earned top ten FINA points (with times closest to hearing world record). She also swam in three (3) relays and earned a Bronze medal and two (2) 4th places respectively. In all, she earned a total of six (6) medals: five (5) Gold and a Bronze. She also set two (2) Deaf world records.
He Shi"s swimming events at 2013 Deaflympics:
200m Freestyle Gold 2:07.63 FINA points (4th) 693
400m Freestyle Gold 4:34.45 FINA points 661
800m Freestyle Gold 9:16.38 FINA points (3rd) 700
200m Fly Gold 2:20.03 FINA points 658 and set a World Record
400m Medley Gold 5:04.07 FINA points (6th) 687 and set a World Record
4x200m Freestyle Relay Bronze 9:15.99 FINA points 594

FINALIST with 62 points: Alena ALEXEEVA (Swimming)
Born 19.11.1993, Alena Alexeeva of the Russian Federation was a multi-medalist in the swimming events during the 2013 Summer Deaflympics at Sofia, Bulgaria.
She earned Six (6) gold, two (2) silver and a bronze medals in the following events:
- 50m Backstroke gold 100m Backstroke — Gold
- 200m Backstroke — Gold
- 50m Butterfly — Gold
- 100m Butterfly — Gold
- 4x200m Freestyle — Gold
- 200m Medley — Silver
- 4x100m Freestyle — Silver
- 4x100m medley — Bronze

FINALIST with 55 points: Olga YAKUBOVSKAYA (Athletics)
Born 06.08.1981, Olga Yakubovskaya from the Russian Federation
turned in an impressive series of performances at the 2013 Deaflympics in Sofia winning individual medals in the following events:
- 1500m (Gold)
- 5000m (Gold)
- 10000m (Gold)
Olga Yakubovskaya was the woman"s athletics star in a Deaflympics competition of high quality in which had created 16 World Records, 19 World Junior Records, and 37 Deaflympic Records – these records were the most that has ever been achieved in a single Deaflympics.

FINALIST with 32 points: Heike ALBRECHT (Tennis)
Born 01.03.1991, Heike Albrecht earned two (2) gold medals and a bronze during the 2013 Summer Deaflympics, competing in tennis singles, tennis mixed and tennis doubles, respectively.

FINALIST with 29 points: Liz Yaraldine MARCANO CABEZA (Karate)
Born 06.03.1992, Liz Yaraldine Marcano Cabeza of Venezuela won a combination of Gold, Silver and Bronze in the following competitions:
- 04.05.2013 Championship Central Oriental – State Monagas – Gold – Combat
- 25.05.2013 National Championship – State Aragua – Gold, Silver – Kata, Combat
- 30.07.2013 Deaflympics – Bulgaria – Gold, Silver – Combat, Kata
- 08.01.2013 Deaflympics – Bulgaria – Gold – Open
- 26.10.2013 National Championship – State Carabobo – Silver, Bronze – Combat, Kata
- 22.11.2013 National – State Tachira – Gold, Silver – Kata, Combat

FINALIST with 26 points: Felicia SCHROEDER (Football)
Born 02.12.1986, Felicia Schroeder of the USA, was the joint top goal scorer during the 2013 Summer Deaflympics Women Football Competition. She scored 8 goals with no booking collected. She earned gold along with the members of her team..

FINALIST with 22 points: Raisa GOLOVINA (Cross Country Skiing)
Born 28.12.1987, Raisa Golovina of the Russian Federation won five (5) Gold medals in the World Deaf Cross Country Skiing championship in 2013 in Uvat, Russia. The events she won gold were: 5 km, Sprint, Skiathlon 5+5 km, 15 km mass start and Relay 3x5 km Russia team.

FINALIST with 21 points: Tereza KMOCHOVA (Alpine Skiing)
Born 29.09.1990, Tereza Kmochova of Czech Republic won 5 gold medals in all disciplines at the World Championships in Nesselwang/Germany.

FINALIST with 20 points: Shu-Min HUANG (Bowling)
Born 12.11.1980. Shu-Min Huang of Chinese Taipei earned a Gold medal, two (2) Silver medals and a Bronze in 2013 Summer Deaflympics at in Sofia, Bulgaria. She was one of the top leaders setting new bowling records.

FINALIST with 18 points: Eunmi HONG (Judo)
Born 15.05.2013, Eunmi Hong of Korea earned two gold medals during the 2013 Summer Deaflympics at Sofia, Bulgaria. The judo events she won were in 70 kg individual and Open Women.