LAUSANNE, Switzerland (AP) — Double Olympic champion Mo Farah has won the men’s athlete of the year award from the European Athletics federation for a second straight year.
The British distance runner, who completed a 5,000-10,000-meters double at the London Olympics in August, beat two Frenchmen to the European honor. Olympic pole vault champion Renaud Lavillenie finished second and sprinter Christophe Lemaitre was third.
Farah also successfully defended his European 5,000 title at Helsinki six weeks earlier.
Last year, Farah received the European body’s season-ending award after winning the 5,000 world title.
Britain completed an awards double after Olympic heptathlon gold medalist Jessica Ennis won the women’s accolade on Thursday.
European Athletics polled national federations, fans, media and a panel of experts.
