Czech cyclist chosen ahead of four time European Games gold medallist as winner of Piotr Nurowski Prize

Czech cyclist Jiří Janošek was awarded the 5th Piotr Nurowski Prize for the Best Young European Athlete ©EOC

Czech cyclist Jiří Janošek has been awarded the 5th Piotr Nurowski Prize for the Best Young European Athlete here.

He received the award, named in memorial of the former President of the Polish Olympic Committee, who was killed in the Polish Air Force Tu-154 crash in 2010, at a special ceremony held during the 45th European Olympic Committees (EOC) General Assembly.

Janošek, the world and European junor gold medallist in the 1 kilometre time trial, was presented with his prize by Patrick Hickey and Thomas Bach, Presidents of the EOC and International Olympic Committee respectively.

The 50 National Olympic Committees (NOCs) attending the General Assembly had chosen Janošek as the winner earlier in the day.

He was surprisingly elected ahead of Yana Kudryavtseva, a rhythmic gymnast, who in 2015 had won five titles at the senior World Championships in Stuttgart and four gold medals at the first-ever European Games in Baku.

She had also won four events at the senior European Championships in Minsk.

British swimmer Luke Greenbank was third, Slovakian canoe slalom competitor Jakub Grigar fourth and German luger Jessica Tiebel fifth.

Janošek was the only one of the five shortlisted candidates attending the event.

Among his prizes was a €12,000 (£8,500/$13,000) training grant.

Image title — Russia's Igor Kaziko was among the winners of the European Olympic Laurel award ©ROC

The European Olympic Laurels were also awarded to NOCs' sports leaders who have distinguished themselves for their merits and their commitment to Sport.

The awards winners included Joseph Cassar, the popular secretary general of the Malta Olympic Committee.

Other winners of the Laurel, created in 2007, included Ioan Dobrescu, secretary general of the Romanian Olympic and Sports Committee and President of the Romanian Basketball Federation.

Igor Kaziko, Russia's deputy Chef de Mission at five Summer and four Winter Olympic Games, was another official honoured.

France's Alain Geles, who had organised the IOC's Centenary Session in Paris in 1894, and Morana Paliković Gruden, President of the Croatian Skating Federation, completed those awarded the Laurel.