Turkey's national athlete Elvan Abeylegesse was chosen as the European Athlete of the Month for February in a voting by the European Athletics (EAA).

The EAA said in its web-site that Abeylegesse, a multiple Olympic and world medallist, made a sparkling Half Marathon debut clocking a course record and world-leading time of 1:07:07 in Ras Al Khaimah, the United Arab Emirates, on February 19.

The middle-distance runner was a silver medallist in both 5000m and 10000m at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing. She is now planning to attempt the 5000m and 10000 double at this summer's European Athletics Championships in Barcelona.

The European Athlete of the Month initiative was launched in January 2007 and is designed to recognize outstanding performers at all levels of the sport in Europe.

European Athletics names a male and female winner each month and features the athlete on the European Athletics web-site. Selections are based on votes by the public, the media and a panel of European Athletics experts, with each counting for 33.3 percent of the final vote. No athlete who has previously served a two-year doping ban can be nominated for or win the European Athlete of the Month.


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