October is traditionally a transition month after the end of the summer track season and before the main part of the winter cross country season.
The main competitions during the month were on the roads and there were also some early season cross country events, including a variety of national championships as the focus of attention shifts towards the 2014 SPAR European Cross Country Championships in Samokov, Bulgaria, on 14 December.
European Athletics is consequently pleased to announce that athletes from 10 different countries have been nominated for the October award.
At the end of each month, a panel of experts produces a short list of the outstanding athletes and performances achieved by European athletes during that month, which is then mailed to the European athletics media and thousands of fans who have signed up to receive news from European Athletics.
Click here to cast your media vote.
Username: media
Password: Med2013
The European Athlete of the Month fan voting takes place through our Facebook page, while members of the media can cast their vote on our website.
The public, media and a group of expert statisticians cast their votes for the European Athlete of the Month with each category counting as 33.3 per cent of the vote.
For example, the winner of each poll will be awarded 10 points, second 9 points, etc. and the athlete with the most points after the three different polls have been counted will be declared the winner.
In the unlikely event of a tie, Hansjörg Wirz, the president of European Athletics, will have the casting vote.
The voting will close on Friday 14 November at noon CET.
The European Athlete of the Month initiative was launched in January 2007 and is designed to recognise outstanding performers at all levels of the sport in Europe.
No athlete who has previously served a two-year doping ban can be nominated for the European Athlete of the Month.
MEN
Andriy Hrechkovskyy UKR (50km walk): just 21, he clocked a personal best of 3:49:06 in Ivano-Frankivsk on 19 October at the test event for next year’s European Cup Race Walking, the second best time by a European under-23 walker this year.
Arne Gabius GER (road running): in addition to running the third fastest marathon by a European this year when he clocked 2:09:32 on his debut over the distance in Frankfurt, he also ran the fastest 10km on the roads by a European this year with 28:08 in Berlin.
Andrea Lalli ITA (10km): the 2012 European cross country champion was the first European home in 29:17 at the famous Giro di Trento race.
Callum Hawkins GBR (half marathon): seventh in the 2013 SPAR European Cross Country Championships U23 race, he clocked 1:03:06 at the Great Scottish Run on 5 October, the best by a European under-23 runner in 2014.
David Palacios ESP (road mile): he was the surprise winner of the Spanish national title in Puerto Lumbreras on 25 October, clocking a fast 4:13.
Ihor Heletiy UKR (distance running): produced the fastest half marathon by a European this month when he clocked 1:02:32 in the Dutch city of Breda on 5 October and he also won his national cross country title in Bila Tserkva, covering the 10km course in 31:03.
Mitch Goose GBR (cross country): won from a strong international field at the 24th Mayor's Cup Cross Country meeting in Boston’s Franklin Park on 26 October, covering the 8km course in 23:46.
Petr Vitner CZE (cross country): won the international cross country event in Horazdovice over 9km in 27:33 on 25 October.
Serhiy Budza UKR (50km walk): the well-known Ukraine international clocked 3:48:50, the second best time of his career, to win his national title in Ivano-Frankivsk on 19 October, which was also a test event for next year’s European Cup Race Walking.
Sondre Nordstad Moen NOR (cross country): the former European under-23 10,000m champion won the Norwegian cross country title in Bergen on 18 October, covering the 10km course in 30:27.
WOMEN
Aliaksandra Duliba BLR (road running): already the fastest European marathon runner of the year after her time of 2:21:29 in Boston earlier in the season, she was second at the Toronto Marathon in 2:24:41 on 19 October.
Amela Terzic SRB (cross country): the former European cross country champion had a busy and triumphant month, winning three races on home soil, as part of her preparations for the SPAR European Cross Country Championships in December.
Alina Reh GER (10km): the talented teenager, still only 17 but already a gold medal favourite for next year’s European Athletics Junior Championships, ran 10km in 33:32 at home in Berlin on 12 October, the fastest time by a European junior this year.
Gemma Steel GBR (road running): the 2013 SPAR European Cross Country Championships silver medallist carried on her superb autumn campaign with a 10 miles personal best of 52:42 at the Great South Run in England on 26 October.
Karoline Bjerkeli Grovdal NOR (10km): had several good victories in domestic races during the month, including wins at the Furumomila 10km in 32:56 on 11 October and then clocking 32:21 to win the Hytteplanmila race in Hole on 18 October.
Meraf Bahta SWE (cross country): the 2014 European 5000m champion was a double winner at the Swedish cross country championships in Eskilstuna, taking the 4km race in 13:35 on 18 October and then the 8km title in 28:27 the following day.
Nicole Reina ITA (road running): fourth in the Youth Olympic Games 2000m steeplechase, the 17-year-old distance talent was the first European home in fourth place at the 44th Giro Podistico di Pettinengo 4km race in Italy and beat a number of top African runners.
Solange Pereira ESP (road mile): dominated the traditional Spanish autumn road mile circuit with three wins, including taking the national title in Puerto Lumbreras on 25 October, and she also won the La Coruna 10km on 5 October.
Valeria Straneo ITA (10km): the 2013 IAAF World Championships marathon silver medallist was an impressive winner over a good field at the Paris Centre 10km on 5 October, defeating European marathon champion Christelle Daunay to win in 32:36.