Schumacher, Kostelic Named European Sportsman and Sportswoman of the Year
VOA Sports
21 Dec 2002, 02:24 UTC

German Formula One driving champion Michael Schumacher and four-time Olympic medalist Janica Kostelic of Croatia have been voted the European Sportsman and Sportswoman of the Year. 

Schumacher won a fifth Formula One driving championship with Ferrari this year. He finished with 62 points in voting by the European Sports Writers Union. Norwegian biathlete Ole Einar Bjorndalen was second with 40 points and Austrian skier Stefan Eberharter finished third. 

Kostelic received 60 points with British runner and world record holder Paula Radcliffe second with 55 points. German swimmer Franziska van Almsick was third with only 16 points. Van Almsick won five gold medals at the European Swimming championships in Berlin and she also broke the world record in the 200-meters freestyle event.