Rafael Nadal was voted as the best European Athlete of 2008
January 3, 2009 by bumeral
Filed under Rafael Nadal, Tennis stars
MADRID .- Rafael Nadal was voted best European Athlete of 2008, according to a survey of 17 news agencies of the continent.
Nadal, winner in 2008, among other titles, tournaments Roland Garros and Wimbledon and the Olympic gold in Beijing, has led the voting with 146 points, ahead of the pertiguista Russian Yelena Isinbayeva, European and Olympic champion (126) , And British pilot Lewis Hamilton, Formula One world champion (101).
Nadal is the first Spanish athlete who wins this poll, which since 1958 coordinates the Polish agency PAP. The shooting happened in the Swiss honors, including tennis, Roger Federer, winner of the previous four editions. The Spanish cyclist Alberto Contador, winner of the Giro d’Italia and the Tour of Spain, has occupied the seventh place with 36 points.
| Position | Sportsman | Points |
| 1. | Rafa Nadal (ESP) | 146 |
| 2. | Yelena Isinbayeva (RUS) | 126 |
| 3. | Lewis Hamilton (ING) | 101 |
| 4. | Cristiano Ronaldo (POR) | 91 |
| 5. | Sebastien Loeb (FRA) | 61 |
| 6. | Chris Hoy (ING) | 47 |
| 7. | Alberto Contador (ESP) | 36 |
| 8. | Jelena Jankovic (SER) | 27 |
| 9. | Valentino Rossi (ITA) | 10 |
| 10. | Alexander Ovechkin (ING) | 17 |
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