From an initial long-list of 40 athletes across the four categories, 12 athletes have been shortlisted for this year’s men’s and women’s European Athlete of the Year and Rising Star awards.
A fan-vote which garnered more than 35,000 responses in just over a week accounted for 25 percent of the voting along with a media vote, Member Federation vote and European Athletics expert panel, each of which was also worth 25 percent.
All six European Athlete of the Year finalists won gold medals at the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo while five of the six finalists for the Rising Star awards won gold medals at either the European Athletics U23 or U20 Championships.
The winners will be crowned at the Golden Tracks awards night which takes place in Batumi, Georgia on 25 October.
Women’s European Athlete of the Year finalists
- Femke Bol (NED)
- Ditaji Kambundji (SUI)
- Maria Pérez (ESP)
Having won the award in both 2022 and 2023, Femke Bol is in contention to make history by becoming the first three-time winner of the women’s European Athlete of the Year trophy.
Bol has amassed another superlative season in her event, winning all nine of her 400m hurdles races and crowning her season by retaining her title at the World Athletics Championships in a championship record and world lead of 51.54.
But Bol will face worthy opposition for the accolade in the shape of fellow world champions Ditaji Kambundji and Maria Pérez. Kambundji won the 100m hurdles title in Tokyo - one of the most hotly-contested and competitive track events - in 12.24, just 0.03 outside Yordanka Donkova’s long-standing European record.
Perez ruled the race walking events for the second successive edition of the World Athletics Championships, retaining both her 20km and 35km race walk titles in the Japanese capital.
Last year’s winner: Yaroslava Mahuchikh (UKR)
Men’s European Athlete of the Year finalists
- Armand Duplantis (SWE)
- Mattia Furlani (ITA)
- Jimmy Gressier (FRA)
Like Bol, Armand Duplantis is in contention to become a three-time winner of the European Athlete of the Year trophy. He shared the accolade with Jakob Ingebrigtsen in 2022 before winning it outright in 2024.
Duplantis continues to write history in the pole vault, breaking his world record four more times in 2025, culminating with a 6.30m clearance at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo where he won his third successive title.
The shortlist also features Italy’s 20-year-old Mattia Furlani, himself a world champion both indoors and outdoors in the long jump in 2025. Like Duplantis, Furlani is also a former recipient of the Rising Star award, taking the title in 2023.
And Jimmy Gressier is also in contention for the accolade after his greatest season to date. After winning the half marathon title in gun-to-tape fashion at the European Running Championships, Gressier used his devastating sprint finish to win 10,000m gold at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo.
Last year’s winner: Armand Duplantis (SWE)
Women’s Rising Star finalists
- Innes FitzGerald (GBR)
- Henriette Jaeger (NOR)
- Audrey Werro (SUI)
One of the most competitive categories this year, the three women’s Rising Star finalists all excelled in their respective age-group championships in 2025.
Innes FitzGerald won a 3000/5000m double at the European Athletics U20 Championships in Tampere while Henriette Jaeger and Audrey Werro won the 400m and 800m titles respectively at the European Athletics U23 Championships with championship records.
Jaeger and Werro also made the finals in their respective events at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo.
Last year’s winner: Adriana Vilagos (SRB)
Men’s Rising Star finalists
- Bozhidar Saraboyukov (BUL)
- Matteo Sioli (ITA)
- Hubert Troscianka (POL)
The three finalists for the men’s Rising Star award each came away with a gold medal in a different major European competition in 2025.
Bozhidar Saraboyukov bounded out to long jump gold ahead of soon-to-be world champion Mattia Furlani at the 2025 European Athletics Indoor Championships in Apeldoorn while 19-year-old Matteo Sioli, who won European indoor high jump bronze, upgraded to gold at the European Athletics U23 Championships with a 2.30m clearance.
And Hubert Troscianka won European U20 decathlon gold in Tampere with a world U20 record of 8514 points. Incidentally, his 46.21 clocking in the 400m would have won individual silver at the European Athletics U20 Championships.
Last year’s winner: Niels Laros (NED)
