From correspondents in Victoria, Australia, 10:01 PM IST

Luciana Aymar of Argentina, Naomi Van As of The Netherlands and Jamie Dwyer were named the World Hockey Players of the Year 2009, here Sunday.

While Dwyer grabbed his third title as best men's hockey player of the world, Aymar and Van As received exactly the same number of votes for the women's player of the year.

Australian Casey Eastham and England's Ashley Jackson received the World Hockey Young Player of the Year 2009 awards.

Both men's winners received their awards from FIH President Leandro Negre during the ABN AMRO Champions Trophy here this weekend. The women's winners will receive their awards during one of their next international matches.

Van As has had a brilliant year with the Dutch national team, being the leading player of the Olympic and World Champion side in 2009.

The Netherlands won the European Championship in August, with Van As being named as the best player of the tournament.

For Aymar, it is an amazing sixth award following her wins in 2001, 2004, 2005, 2007 and 2008.

Dwyer also added another Player of the Year title to his impressive record as one of the true stars of the game. The Australian striker had previously been named as the world's best player in 2004 and 2007. Dwyer takes over as the title holder from Spanish attacker Pol Amat, who was also a nominee for this year's event.

It was no surprise that Eastham was crowned as women's World Hockey Young Player of the Year.

Eastham, who turned 20 this year, played outstandingly at the Samsung Champions Trophy, proving to be one of the leading players in the Australian national team.

Jackson became the first English winner of a World Hockey Player of the Year award. Jackson (22) led his team to the European Championship title in August 2009 and is one of the British hopes for the 2012 Olympic Games in London .

(Staff Writer, © IANS)