Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 The European Athletics Awards night has quickly become an established night to conclude the European Athletics Convention and this year was no different as seven different TV crews from as far a field as Russia and Japan jostled for position to film the ceremony for their respective broadcasters.
Being an Olympic Year, the award winners were guaranteed to be Olympic Champions and so it was, although for both Yelena Isinbayeva and Andreas Thorskildsen, each successfully defended their title in the Chinese capital.
The Waterford Crystal European Athletics Rising Star awards were only in their second year and both of this years winners look to have star quality written all over them as both are still teenagers, both were in Beijing and both won IAAF World Junior titles in Bydgoszcz in July.
Over 100,000 members of the public cast their votes on the European Athletics website, reinforcing, if it were needed, the prestige of being named European Athlete of the Year.
All four winners were presented their awards by European Athletics President Hansjörg Wirz, at a special awards dinner at the European Athletics Convention in Amsterdam.
European Athletics wishes to thank Waterford Crystal for their continued support of these prestigious awards.
Click on the links below to read the profile of 2008 winners
Waterford Crystal European male Athlete of the Year story
Waterford Crystal European female Athlete of the year story
Waterford Crystal European Athletics male Rising Star story
Waterford Crystal European Athletics female Rising Star story
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