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Ukrainian middle distance runner Ivan Heshko and Polish javelin thrower Barbara Madejczyk were today named Athletes of the SPAR European Cup following their outstanding performances in Malaga, Spain.
The award was introduced by the EAA last year in order to reward athletes who have produced supreme performances beyond expectations and who have risen to the occasion and made an outstanding contribution to their team\'s performance.
“The award was introduced to demonstrate how much each performance – whether first, fourth or seventh – can be a significant element in a team’s success,” explains EAA President Hansjörg Wirz.
“Ivan Heshko contributed 17 points to his team’s score to help Ukraine finish in fifth place and therefore avoid relegation. Barbara Madejczyk’s first place in the javelin with a new national record helped her team to finish second and qualify for the World Cup for the first time.”
The decision on the winners was made by a panel of experts: former world and European 400m hurdles champion, who is now a consultant for French television, Stéphane Diagana (FRA); Secretary of the AIPS (Association Internationale de la Presse Sportive) Athletics Commission Gustav Schwenk (GER), who have been covering European Cup competitions since 1965; Manuel Cano (ESP), the athletics correspondent of Spain’s leading sports daily newspaper Marca; leading athletics statistician Mark Butler (GBR); and EAA Communications Manager Emily Lewis (GBR).
Ivan Heshko, the reigning world indoor 1500m champion, won the 1500m on the first day of competition in 3:50.34 and narrowly lost out in a sprint finish in the 800m on day two (1:46.24). The 17 points that he scored were important in ensuring that the Ukraine finished in fifth place and avoided relegation to the First League.
Barbara Madejczyk broke her own national record by over a metre with a throw of 64.08 to win the women’s javelin. Her nine points made an important contribution to her team’s second place finish and ensuring that her team qualified for the IAAF World Cup in September for the first time.
Source: EAA
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