From European records, world titles to record-breaking feats, it’s been another superlative year and the men’s and women’s European Athletes of the Year will be crowned once again at the Golden Tracks award ceremony in Vilnius, Lithuania on 21 October.
The three finalists were decided based on a four-part voting process with a fan vote on social media, a Member Federation vote, a media vote and a European Athletics expert panel vote each accounting for one-quarter of the overall vote.
Last year’s winners were Armand Duplantis and Jakob Ingebrigtsen who shared the men’s European Athlete of the Year trophy while Femke Bol was crowned women’s European Athlete of the Year.
All three winners were also past recipients of the Rising Star award. The finalists for the men’s and women’s Rising Star award this year can be found here.
In alphabetical order, the three women’s European Athlete of the Year finalists are...
Femke Bol (NED) | Athlete profile
- World 400m hurdles, 4x400m champion
- European indoor 400m, 4x400m champion
- Diamond League 400m hurdles champion
- European Team Championships 400m winner
- World indoor 400m record (49.26)
- European 400m hurdles record (51.45) and world indoor 500m best (1:05.63)
- World ranking - 1 (400m hurdles), 5 (400m)
It has been another superlative year for Femke Bol which began with her dismantling of the long-standing world indoor 400m record and was also highlighted by her European 400m hurdles record of 51.45 in London as well as double gold at the World Athletics Championships in Budapest.
And if Bol is crowned women’s European Athlete of the Year for the second year in a row, she will follow in the footsteps of her compatriot Dafne Schippers who lifted this trophy in 2014 and in 2015.
Yaroslava Mahuchikh (UKR) | Athlete profile
- World high jump champion
- European indoor high jump champion
- Diamond League champion
- European Team Championships 2nd Division winner
- World leader (2.03m)
- World ranking - 1
Mahuchikh has enjoyed another fine season which was capped by her gold medal at the World Athletics Championships in Budapest to accompany the global indoor title she won in Belgrade last year.
Will she become the third Rising Star to go on to be crowned women’s European Athlete of the Year later this month? The last athlete to do so was Bol who was crowned Rising Star in 2021 before lifting the senior accolade the following year.
Maria Perez (ESP) | Athlete profile
- World 20km and 35km race walk champion
- European Race Walking Team Championships 35km champion
- World 35km race walk record (2:37:15)
- World ranking - 2 (20km), 1 (35km)
After her annus horribilis in 2022, Maria Perez returned with a vengeance this year, winning two gold medals at the World Athletics Championships and breaking the world 35km race walk record at the European Race Walking Team Championships in Podebrady.
The last Spaniard to be crowned women’s European Athlete of the Year was high jumper Ruth Beitia in 2016.
And in alphabetical order, the three men's European Athlete of the Year finalists are...
Armand Duplantis (SWE) | Athlete profile
- World pole vault champion
- Diamond League champion
- World pole vault records (6.22m, 6.23m)
- World ranking - 1
The flying Swede’s indoor and outdoor season were bookmarked with world record-breaking feats. Duplantis finished his indoor season by clearing 6.22m in Clermont-Ferrand - where he was warmly congratulated by his predecessor as world record-holder Renaud Lavillenie - and he ended his outdoor campaign with a brilliant 6.23m clearance in the Diamond League final in Eugene.
Will Duplantis follow in the footsteps of his compatriot Christian Olsson (2003-04) and be crowned men’s European Athlete of the Year in back-to-back years?
Jakob Ingebrigtsen (NOR) | Athlete profile
- World 5000m champion
- World 1500m silver medallist
- European indoor 1500m and 3000m champion
- Diamond League mile and 3000m champion
- World 2000m record (4:43.13) and world two-mile best (7:54.10)
- European 1500m (3:27.95, 3:27.14), mile (3:43.73) and 3000m records (7:23.63, 7:24.00)
- World ranking - 1 (1500m), 5 (5000m)
Ingebrigtsen was bitterly disappointed to be beaten by Josh Kerr for the world 1500m title but this was just a small blemish on an otherwise brilliant season in which he defended his world 5000m title and won two Diamond League titles, setting two European records in the process.
Ingebrigtsen will be looking to become the fourth successive Norwegian winner of this award. Karsten Warholm was crowned men’s European Athlete of the Year in 2019 and 2021 before Ingebrigtsen shared last year’s award with his good friend Armand Duplantis.
Miltiadis Tentoglou (GRE) | Athlete profile
- World long jump champion
- European indoor champion
- European Team Championships winner
- World ranking - 1
Tentoglou was coolness personified at the World Athletics Championships in Budapest where he turned silver into gold in the sixth round of the long jump final. And in doing so, he completed the full set of major titles in his event at the age of 25.
A perennial finalist at the Golden Tracks, will Tentoglou become the third Greek winner after Ekaterini Stefanidi was crowned women’s European Athlete of the Year in 2016 and Elina Tzengko the Rising Star last year?
Who will take home the trophies at this year’s Golden Tracks? Tune in live on the European Athletics YouTube channel from 8.30pm local time on 21 October to find out!