From an initial list of 10 athletes who were all nominated based solely on their performances this season, we can now reveal the men's European Athlete of the Year finalists.
The winner will be crowned and presented with their trophy at the Golden Tracks award ceremony in Tallinn, Estonia on Saturday 26 October. Last year's winner was France's Kevin Mayer, the world indoor heptathlon champion and world decathlon record-holder.
The Golden Tracks voting procedure takes into account fan voting across social media, media voting, European Athletics Member Federations voting as well as the expert European Athletics Panel vote. Each component accounts for 25 percent of the voting process.
There will be live streaming of the Golden Tracks award ceremony with more details to follow later this week.
Pawel Fajdek (POL)
-World hammer champion-The Match winner
-IAAF Hammer Throw Challenge winner
Fajdek suffered a handful of defeats to teammate Wojciech Nowicki during the course of the season but the Pole produced his best form when it counted at the World Championships by winning his fourth successive title in the hammer. Fajdek was also an individual winner for Team Europe at The Match in Minsk.
Four world titles in a row in the hammer for Pawel Fajdek! #WorldAthleticsChampspic.twitter.com/FHgOK1iNto
— European Athletics (@EuroAthletics) October 3, 2019
Magnus Kirt (EST)
-World javelin silver medallist-Diamond League champion
-World leader at 90.61m
-European Athletics Team Championships Second League winner
Kirt produced the two longest throws of the season in the space of 48 hours in June. The Estonian surpassed the 90 metre-line for the first time in Ostrava with 90.34m before extending his world lead and national record to 90.61m in Kuortane two days later. Kirt won the Diamond League title in Zurich with a sixth round effort of 89.13m before winning silver in Doha although his competition was unfortunately abbreviated by a shoulder injury.
A 89.13m winning throw and bonus points for the dive
— IAAF Diamond League (@Diamond_League) August 30, 2019
Magnus Kirt clinches the Diamond Trophy in Zurich#ZurichDL #DLFinal pic.twitter.com/ih0vyKJqdD
Daniel Stahl (SWE)
-World discus champion-Diamond League champion
-World leader at 71.86m
-Three competitions over 70 metres
-Won 13 of his 16 competitions
Stahl opened his season by surpassing 70 metres three times in the Doha Diamond League and he concluded his campaign by winning the world title in the very same arena. In between, Stahl extended his national record and world lead to 71.86m to move to equal fifth on the world all-time list and also won the Diamond League title in Brussels.
Daniel Stahl deserves two gold medals at this #WorldAthleticsChamps.
— IAAF (@iaaforg) September 30, 2019
One for his winning discus throw and one for the celebration! pic.twitter.com/fseMWyNKmf
Karsten Warholm (NOR)
-European indoor 400m champion-World 400m hurdles champion
-Diamond League champion
-Equalled the European indoor 400m record of 45.05
-European 400m hurdles records of 47.33, 47.12, 46.92
-Unbeaten in 17 races across all distances including heats
Warholm amassed one of the most phenomenal seasons in the history of his event. Warholm won his seven 400m hurdles finals, averaging a winning time of 47.33 across the season. He won the Zurich Diamond League in the second fastest time in history with 46.92 before successfully defending his world title in Doha. His win at the European Indoor Championships provided a sign of what was to follow as he equalled the long-standing European indoor record of 45.05 to win the 400m title.
46.92.
— European Athletics (@EuroAthletics) August 30, 2019
No more words required!pic.twitter.com/HHNuuPV6PU