Aigner siblings take para-sports honours at Niki gala

The visually impaired siblings Veronika and Johannes Aigner won Austria’s para-athlete of the year awards at Thursday’s Niki gala in Vienna, ORF reported.

Veronika, 23, won medals in all five events at this year’s Paralympics in Italy, taking four golds and one silver. It was her fourth time winning the award for Austria’s female athlete of the year with a disability.

“My pulse was higher before the ceremony than at the start of the Olympics,” she said. “The award means a great deal to me every year because it is such a sign of appreciation.”

Her younger brother Johannes, 21, won three gold medals and one bronze at the Games. He was named Austria’s male athlete of the year with a disability. Both siblings plan to take a break from competition next season.

Katharina Huber, from St Georgen am Reith in the Amstetten district, was nominated for team of the year after winning Olympic gold in the team combined event with Ariane Rädler. The award went to football champions LASK, whose coach, Dietmar Kühbauer, was also named coach of the year.

Skeleton racer Janine Flock, who won Olympic gold this year, was named Austria’s female athlete of the year for the first time. Cyclist Felix Gall won the men’s award for the second time after reaching the podium at the Giro d’Italia and the Vuelta.

Former footballer Herbert Prohaska received a lifetime achievement award, presented by his grandchildren. He said his life’s work was built on “three Fs: family, friends and football.”