A first distinction for Mondo Duplantis. It was expected. The pole vaulter was named European Athlete of the Year 2024 at the European Athletics Golden Tracks awards ceremony, held in Skopje, in the Republic of North Macedonia. European and Olympic champion, author of a world record of 6,26 m, the Swede was in competition with the Norwegian Jakob Ingebrigtsen (1.500 and 5.000 m) and the Greek Miltiadis Tentoglou (long jump). He won by a wide margin. In the women's category, the title of European Athlete of the Year went, just as logically, to the high jumper Yaroslava Mahuchikh (photo above, center). The Ukrainian, also a gold medallist at the European Championships and the Paris 2024 Games, and world record holder (2,10 m), beat the two other nominees, the Dutch Femke Bol (400 m hurdles), distinguished in 2022 and 2023, and the British Keely Hodgkinson (800 m). Two other trophies were presented in Skopje by European Athletics: the Serbian javelin thrower Adriana Vilagos (left in the photo), and the Dutch 1.500 m specialist Niels Laros (right), were named Rising Stars of the Year 2024. Finally, a special prize for team spirit was awarded to Italy, which topped the medal table at the European Championships in Rome, with 11 gold medals.
