We can reveal the three women's European Athlete of the Year finalists ahead of the Golden Tracks.
The winner will be announced and presented with their trophy on-stage at the annual Golden Tracks award ceremony in Tallinn, Estonia on 22 October. The ceremony will be streamed live through the European Athletics website and YouTube channel.
Last year's winner was Sifan Hassan from the Netherlands who achieved a remarkable three medals at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games: gold in the 5000m and 10,000m and bronze in the 1500m.
Femke Bol (NED) | Profile
Year in summary:
Femke Bol raced no fewer than 29 times in 2022 but the Dutchwoman’s efforts yielded seven major medals, including a historic and record-breaking treble at the Munich 2022 European Athletics Championships.
Bol became the first athlete - male or female - to win the 400m and 400m hurdles titles at the European Athletics Championships and the 22-year-old rounded off her campaign by producing a 48.52 anchor leg to land the Netherlands gold in the 4x400m relay in 3:20.87, one of six national records Bol set in 2022.
Bol won 10 of her 11 races in the 400m hurdles, her sole defeat coming against the unstoppable Sydney McLaughlin who took a sledgehammer to her world record with 50.68 at the World Athletics Championships to defeat Bol who upgraded her bronze medal at the Tokyo Olympics to silver in Oregon.
But the Dutchwoman also revised the record books in 2022, taking a massive chunk off the world best in the 300m hurdles with 36.86 in Ostrava to become the first athlete to break not only the 37 second-barrier but also the 38 second-barrier.
What they said:
On another prospective 400m/400m hurdles double: “I am so proud to achieve the double. I will never do the double again. Well, maybe. Never say never!”
Key statistic:
Despite it being her secondary event, Femke Bol’s winning time in the 400m of 49.44 at the European Athletics Championships was the fastest winning time since Marita Koch won her third successive title in Stuttgart 1986.
Femke in action:
Yaroslava Mahuchikh (UKR) | Profile
Year in summary:
Life changed irrevocably for Yaroslava Mahuchikh and her compatriots following the Russian invasion in late February but the 21-year-old showed incredible fortitude to win the world indoor high jump title in Belgrade with a 2.02m clearance.
Not only was this Mahuchikh’s first competition in over a month, the Ukrainian team also endured a tumultuous three day journey by car to the Serbian capital. Despite the upheaval and obvious disruption to her training, Mahuchikh delivered a consummate performance in Belgrade to win her first global senior title.
Mahuchikh also cleared 2.02m at the World Athletics Championships but had to settle for silver on countback again behind Australia’s Eleanor Patterson. Normal service was swiftly resumed at the Munich 2022 European Athletics Championships with the Ukrainian completing the full set of major continental titles at the age of 20.
However, her best performance came at the very end of the year with Mahuchikh clearing 2.05m in the Brussels Diamond League to match Inha Babakova’s long-standing national outdoor record before taking a very credible attempt at a world record height of 2.10m.
What they said:
On clearing 2.05m in Brussels and attempting a world record: “I tried 2.10m today but for now that is a bit too high. For a long time nobody even attempted that height so I feel very good. My agent said that I can jump higher than 2.10m so maybe if all of the conditions are right.”
Key statistic:
Despite only turning 21 in September, Yaroslava Mahuchikh has cleared 2.02m or higher in four successive seasons: 2.04m in 2019, 2.02m in 2020, 2.06m in 2021 and 2.05m in 2022.
Yaroslava in action:
Nafissatou Thiam (BEL) | Profile
Year in summary:
The tight turnaround from the World Athletics Championships to the European Athletics Championships was particularly demanding for the combined eventers but Nafissatou Thiam came away with gold medals in both events.
And in doing so, Thiam completed her second Grand Slam of major titles one day before celebrating her 28th birthday. Having already won back-to-back Olympic gold medals, Thiam regained her world heptathlon title in Oregon before successfully defending her European title in Munich.
Thiam achieved the second best score of her career at the World Athletics Championships with 6947 points before winning European gold in Munich with 6628 points.
What they said:
On which event she would do other than events which comprise the heptathlon: “Triple jump or 400m hurdles. It’s always hard - heptathlon is hard too but it’s fun - I think I would enjoy it.”
Key statistic:
Thiam equalled her championship best of 1.98m in the heptathlon high jump in Munich 2022. It was also superior to the winning mark in the individual high jump final at those championships.