Vote for European Athlete of the Month of April – European Athletics (EAA) – NEWS

April is always a transitional month for European Athletics as many major cities experience the thrill of thousands of runners running major marathons while the track & field season kicks off in earnest, albeit mainly in the USA.

Following this, European Athletics is pleased to announce the nominations for the European Athlete of the Month for April representing 10 countries.

At the end of each month, a panel of experts produce a shortlist of the outstanding athletes and performances achieved by European Athletes during that month which is emailed to the European Athletics media and thousands of fans who have already signed up to receive news from European Athletics.

The poll is situated in the Fan Zone of the European Athletics website and both the public, the media and a group of expert statisticians will cast their votes with each category counting as 33.3% of the vote. For example, the winner of the each poll will be awarded 10 pts, second 9 pts etc and the athlete with the most points after the 3 different polls have been counted will be declared the winner. In the unlikely event of a tie, Hansjörg Wirz, the President of European Athletics, will have the casting vote.

The voting will close on Tuesday May 12 at 12 noon.

The European Athlete of the Month initiative was launched in January 2007 and is designed to recognise outstanding performers at all levels of the sport in Europe.

European Athletics will name a male and female winner each month and feature the athlete on the European Athletics website.

No athlete who has previously served a 2 year anti doping ban can be nominated for the European Athlete of the Month.

Nominees for the month of April

Men

Marlon Devonish GBR                        100m
(Leading European with a stunning 10.11 in Florida, USA)

Michael Bingham GBR                        400m
(Ran fastest 400m by a European in 2009 with 45.32 victory in Florida, USA)

Bram Som NED                                        800m
(Only European to go sub 1.47 this year with a 1.46.49 clocking to win in Apeldoorn)

Andrew Lemoncello GBR                        10,000m                
(Has the fastest 10,000m clocking by a European this season with a 27.57.23 clocking in California, USA)                

Ruggero Pertile ITA                                        Marathon
(Only European to have a sub 2.10 marathon in 2009 with a 2.09.53 clocking in Torino)

Toby Ulm GBR                                400m Hurdles
(Europe's fastest 400m hurdler with a 50.26 performance in Arizona, USA)

Malte Mohr GER                        Pole Vault
(Leading European in 2009 with a 5.62 clearance in Stellenbosch, South Africa)

Gerd Kanter EST                        Discus
(Only European to throw over 70m this season with a 70.84m throw in California, USA)

Krisztián Pars HUN                                Hammer
(Europe's leading hammer thrower with 81.43m in Veszprém)

Mateo Sossah FRA                                Decathlon
(Leads the European rankings by over 300 points with a score of 7821 in Florida, USA)

Women

Christine Ohuruogu GBR                         100m/200m
(Leads the European rankings over 100m & 200m with 11.51 and 23.19 in California, USA)

Vicky Barr GBR                                        400m
(Only European to go sub 53 this season with a 52.92 clocking in California, USA)

Irina Mikitenko GER                                Marathon
(Retained her London Marathon title in fastest time of 2009 by a European in 2.22.11)

Sonia Grabowska POL                        Pole Vault
(Currently leading the European rankings with a 4.21m vault in California, USA)

Karoline Köhler GER                                Long Jump
(Recorded Europe's longest jump of the outdoor 2009 season with a 6.50m leap in Tennessee, USA)

Magdelin Martinez ITA                        Triple Jump
(Only European over 14m with a 14.09m leap in Dakar Grand Prix)

Denise Hinrichs GER                                Shot Put
(Europe's leading outdoor shot putter with 19.19m throw in Goree)

Diana Dumitrescu ROU                         Heptathlon
(Leading European heptathlete with 5350 in Indiana, USA)

Kjersti Tysse Plätzer NOR                        20km Walk
(Unbeaten in 2009 with 3 IAAF Challenge victories including fine win at Rio Maior)

European Athletics (EAA) – NEWS