Queer Dutch hockey player Anne Veenendaal, whose team won gold at the Paris Olympics, has been named Goalie of the Year by readers of a Dutch field hockey magazine.
Veenendaal, 29, who rocked the Progress Pride flag on her helmet during the Olympics, was called a “a constant force for both Amsterdam and the Dutch National Team”, in the Instagram post announcing the award. The magazine, Tulp Hoofdklasse, added on Instagram: “She has proven to be one of the best goalkeepers in the world and now also your Goalie of the Year.
“Her long-awaited participation in the Olympics became a reality this year. In the Olympic Games final, Anne stopped three Chinese shootouts, making her the unforgettable heroine of the final.”
Veenendaal was one of the 199 out LGBTQ+ Olympians at the 2024 Paris Games, where Team LGBTQ+ won a collective 43 medals, including 16 golds.