In last night’s European Athletics Awards Night Bohdan Bondarenko and Zuzana Hejnova came out on top for the Athlete of the Year Awards, with Emir Bekriƒá and Anita Hinriksdottir picking up the Rising Star Awards.
Bondarenko saw off stiff competition in the male category, including Britain’s 5,000 and 10,000 metre World Champion, Mo Farah.
The Ukrainian high jumper has had a phenomenal season, picking up the World Championship and Diamond League titles, as well as continually threatening the world record.
The 24-year-olds 2.41 metre jumps in Moscow and at the IAAF Diamond League in Lausanna were the highest seen in 19 years.
Hejnova reigned supreme in the 400m hurdles all season boasting an impressive undefeated record.
The 26-year-olds 13 race winning streak saw her bring home World Championship gold, along with the Diamond League series crown.
On route to her World title, the Czech Republic hurdler clocked a national record of 52.83 seconds, destroying her opponents over the one lap event.
At just 22 years of age, Bekriƒá’s 2013 seasons saw him dominate the U23 ranks, as well as burst onto the senior scene in spectacular fashion.
The Serbian 400m hurdler first won the European Athletics U23 Championships, and then went on to scoop a bronze medal at the World Championships in Moscow with a national record of 48.05 seconds, the fastest European U23 time ever.
Hinriksdottir showed her 800 metre potential in fine form, finishing the season with both the IAAF World Youth Championships and European Athletics Junior Championships titles.
The winners of the awards were decided by counting votes from the fans, media, European Athletics Member Federations and the European Athletics panel.
Full results:
Men’s 2013 European Athlete of the Year Top 3
1. Bohdan Bondarenko (UKR)
2. Mo Farah (GBR)
3. Pawel Fajdek (POL)
Women’s 2013 European Athlete of the Year Top 3
1. Zuzana Hejnová (CZE)
2. Yelena Isinbayeva (RUS)
3. Valeria Straneo (ITA)
Men ‘s 2013 European Athletics Rising Star Top 3
1. Emir Bekrić (SRB)
2. Adam Gemili (GBR)
3. Karsten Warholm (NOR)
Women ‘s 2013 Rising Star Top 3
1. Anita Hinriksdottir (ISL)
2. Dafne Schippers (NED)
3. Amela Terzic (SRB)
A recording of the awards night can be found here.
