The sport of athletics was celebrated during the Ukrainian “Heroes of Sports” ceremony in the National Olympic Stadium in Kyiv, Ukraine.
The IAAF World high jump champion from Moscow, Bohdan Bondarenko, was given the ‘Best athlete of the year’ award and Hanna Melnychenko who was crowned champion in the heptathlon, was named ‘Sensation of the Year’.
Bondarenko is currently training in South Africa for the upcoming season, and sent a video recorded message in which he said:
“Last year was very successful and unforgettable for me, I was named the best European athlete of the year and was among the three best athletes of the world.
“I’m grateful to the National Olympic Committee of Ukraine for this recognition, to my father and coach Viktor, to my relatives, friends and fans, who supported me during the whole season.
“This year, I would like very much to hear the Ukrainian anthem at the European Athletics Championships.”
If Bondarenko demonstrates the same strength as last year, a world record is within his reach, and no better place to achieve this than in Zurich this summer.
Bohdan’s coach, Viktor Bondarenko, was also nominated among three candidates for the best coach of the year award.
Hanna Melnychenko was an unexpected champion in Moscow, but this time she will head to the European Athletics Championships in Zurich with the favourite's tag.
“I’m very grateful to my coach, Dmytro Liopa. Such a successful year would be impossible without him.
“And I’m very happy to know, that we are estimated at home as well as abroad,” Melnychenko said.
Nadine Broersen of the Netherlands has been hard at work over the winter having claimed World Indoor pentathlon gold in Sopot in March, and will certainly look to challenge her Ukrainian rival.