Italian Swimmer Simone Sabbioni Best 2014 European Young Athlete

The hero of the Nanjing Youth Olympic Games – 18-year-old swimmer Simone Sabbioni, who collected a full set of medals in China – gold, silver and bronze, was recognized European Olympic Committees (EOC), the Best 2014 European Young Athlete. The award was named after Piotr Nurowski, former President of the Polish National Olympic Committee. He received the Trophy from the hands of EOC President Patrick Hickey, during a Gala Dinner at the Heydar Aliyev Centre in Baku, at the end of the 43rd EOC General Assembly.

A representative of Russia,  2014 Olympic champion in Figure Skating Adelina Sotnikova was among five finalists. She was unable to come to Baku because she was going through a recovery after injury. President of the Russian Olympic Committee Alexander Zhukov received her prize for her.

The Best Young Athlete prize is awarded not only for success in sports, but also for the promotion of the Olympic values and for behavior pattern in everyday life. This year Simone Sabbioni took part in a charity show organised in support of flood victims in Sardinia.