Gianmarco Tamberi named European Athlete of the Year 2026

Italian high jumper Gianmarco Tamberi has been named the 2026 European Athlete of the Year at the Golden Tracks ceremony in Lausanne. Tamberi is the first Italian to receive this honor since the award's inception in 1993, surpassing finalists such as Armand Duplantis and Miltiadis Tentoglou.

Tamberi’s recognition follows a highly successful season, highlighted by winning his fourth European outdoor title in Birmingham and securing victory at the Ultimate Championship in Budapest with a season-best jump of 2.37 meters.

In the women's category, Audrey Werro of Switzerland was named the best European female athlete of the year. Additionally, Bulgarian athlete Viktoria Angelova received the rising star award, with Slovenian runner Živa Remic recognized as a finalist for the honor following her achievements in the 800-meter event.