Fionnuala Britton has been voted European Athlete of the Month for December, just reward for winning the European Cross Country Championships in the same month.

Britton in fact won the monthly award for 2012 too, this time for defending her continental title with a tactically perfect race in Budapest to become the first senior woman to manage back-to-back victories at the event.

Andrea Lalli of Italy, who took the men’s title in Budapest, was given the men’s award.

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