The jubilee 100th edition of Poland's oldest and most prestigious sports poll – that of "Przegląd Sportowy" – began with excellent news for volleyball. Among the 25 nominees for Sportsman of the Year 2025 are two representatives of our sport: Agnieszka Korneluk and the star of Bogdanka Lublin, the teammate of Bulgarian Alex Grozdanov – Wilfredo Leon.
The nominations were announced at a stylish press conference at the PGE Narodowy National Stadium in Warsaw, where the three-time title winner Robert Lewandowski, also included this year in the list of contenders, was present.
Volleyball players in the "Przegląd Sportowy" poll for 2025
| Name | Discipline | Club / National Team | Achievements in 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Agnieszka Korneluk | Volleyball | Fenerbahçe (Turkey) / Poland | Key player in the national team |
| Wilfredo Leon | Volleyball | Bogdanka LUK Lublin / Poland | Champion in the Volleyball Nations League; bronze from the World Championship |
The data clearly shows volleyball's stable status as a leading sport in Poland. The presence of Leon – one of the most popular and recognizable figures in world volleyball – highlights the high international profile of the poll. Korneluk, in turn, is an example of consistency and leadership in the women's national team.
Historical context and favorites
The poll marks 100 years since its creation in 1926. The first winner was the legend Wacław Kuchar, and the most titles – a total of five – belong to cross-country skier Justyna Kowalczyk. Among the current favorites for 2025 are Olympic and world champions such as Iga Świątek, Aleksandra Mirosław, Bartosz Zmarzlik, and others.
The winners will be announced on January 10 during the traditional Gala of Sports Champions, broadcast live on TVP.
Is it time for Bulgaria to appreciate Alex Nikolov?
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Alex Nikolov the top scorer at the World Championship in the Philippines
In the context of great European and world names, it is important to also recall a Bulgarian talent who, in 2025, left his own mark on world volleyball.
At the World Championship in the Philippines, Alex Nikolov became the highest-scoring player of the entire championship, registering a total of 173 points. Of these:
154 points in attack
12 serving aces
The rest scored from blocks
A lead of 67 points over the second player in the ranking
These numbers show not just a good, but an extraordinarily dominant tournament. Nikolov was the leading scorer in every one of Bulgaria's matches, bearing responsibility typical of far more experienced players. His clean attacking performance and consistency in the sets were the main factor for our team to remain competitive.
His performance at the World Championship, combined with his development in club volleyball, makes such recognition more than deserved.
After such compelling statistics and a season in which Nikolov became one one of the leading European stars, it seems perfectly logical for him to be considered a candidate for the Top 10 Bulgarian athletes for 2025.
