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Portugal's Francis Obikwelu was named the Waterford Crystal European Athlete of the Year for 2006, the European Athletics Association announced today.
Obikwelu, the Olympic 100m silver medallist, captured the sprint double over 100m and 200m at the European Athletics Championships in Gothenburg last August.
The Nigerian-born Obikwelu also won the sprint double at the European Cup first league competition in Thessaloníki, Greece, and the 100m silver medal, representing Europe, at the IAAF World Cup in Athens in September.
"The award means the world to me and I am really honoured to have won it," said Obikwelu, who holds the European 100m record at 9.86. "I’ve had a really good season in 2006 and this just tops it off."
Obikwelu took the award ahead of European discus throw champion Virgilijus Alekna of Lithuania and javelin sensation Andreas Thorkildsen from Norway. Alekna, a two-time world and two-time Olympic champion, will bring a 22 meet win streak into the 2007 season. The 24-year-old Thorkildsen, the Olympic champion in the event, became the sixth farthest thrower in history with his 91.59m throw before a home crowd in Oslo.
The Waterford Crystal European Athlete of the Year internet poll on the European Athletics website was open to Member Federations, the media and the public through three different voting forums.
Yesterday, the EAA announced that Sweden's Carolina Kluft, the Olympic, world and European champion in the heptathlon, was named the top female athlete of the year.
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