15th June 2006 10:03
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Olsson again - Holmes matches Masterkova
Swedish triple jumper Christian Olsson and British middle distance runner Kelly Holmes have won the 'Waterford Crystal European Athlete of the Year Trophy 2004'. Olsson topped the European Athletic Association's internet poll for the second year in a row. Double Olympic Champion Holmes follows the footsteps of Svetlana Masterkova (RUS), who in 1996 also won the 800m and 1500m and was then named European Athlete of the Year.
Olsson's record in 2004 would be difficult to top. The 25-year-old in
March successfully defended his World Indoor title in Budapest with a
new World Indoor Record of 17.83m and then became one of three Swedish
Olympic Champions in athletics, winning in Athens with 17.79m, a new
national outdoor record. He also won a half share of the 1 million
dollar TDK Golden League Jackpot. In 19 indoor and outdoor events he
only was beaten once: at the Stockholm Super Grand Prix meeting.The 34-year-old Holmes, whose only previous major event gold medals were at the Commonwealth Games in 1994 and 2002, was simply outstanding in Athens. She first won the 800m title in 1:56.38, her best time since 1995 (!), and then came back to take the 1500m crown in 3:57.90, her only sub-four minute result of the season.
For
both Olsson and Holmes the Waterford Crystal European Athlete of the
Year Trophy is one in a series of honours. Olsson was also named the
Swedish Athlete of the Year, ahead of Stefan Holm and Carolina Klüft.
Holmes was named as Best Female Athlete of the Year by the
International Sports Press Association (AIPS), voted BBC Sports
Personality of the Year and made a Dame in the Queen's New Year's
Honours list.
The European Athlete of the Year internet poll on the EAA website, open to Member Federations, media and the public through three different voting forms, ended with a unanimous result for Olsson. All three groups had the Swede on top of the ranking. In the women's contest, the battle was closer. Holmes was ranked first by the public and the Member Federations, while Olympic Champion and World Record setting pole vaulter Yelena Isinbayeva (RUS) gained top votes from the media representatives.
The award ceremony will take place on Thursday, 3 March, on the eve of the European Athletic Indoor Championships in Madrid (ESP).
Results 2004
The RankingsMen
| 1 | Olsson Christian | SWE | 3 |
| 2 | Holm Stefan | SWE | 7 |