29th October 2018

DINA ASHER-SMITH NAMED FEMALE ATHLETE OF THE YEAR AT EUROPEAN ATHLETICS AWARDS

Dina Asher-Smith became the fourth British athlete to be crowned women’s European Athlete of the Year after Sally Gunnell won the inaugural award in 1993, followed by fellow Olympic champions Kelly Holmes in 2004 and Jessica Ennis-Hill in 2012.

Asher-Smith received the prestigious trophy ahead of last year’s European Athlete of the Year Ekaterini Stefanidi from Greece and reigning European, world and Olympic heptathlon champion Nafissatou Thiam from Belgium.

Asher-Smith dominated the sprinting programme at the European Championships in Berlin. Not only did she become just the third female sprinter in European Championships history to win a sprint treble but she equalled the world lead in the 100m with 10.85 and set an outright world lead of 21.89 in the 200m. Asher-Smith also anchored the British 4x100m team to victory on the last night of the programme in another world-leading time of 41.88. Her winning times in the 100m and 200m were also British records.

Greg Rutherford received the Lifetime Achievement award at the ceremony to honour his outstanding career in the sport which saw him hold the Grand Slam of titles, Olympic, World, European and Commonwealth long jump titles.