Grapevine: Schumacher Wins European Writers Award

German Formula One World Champion Michael Schumacher has been voted European Sportsman of the Year for the third time, the European Sports Writers Union (UEPS) said on Friday.

Croatian Alpine skiing star Janica Kostelic was voted the European Sportswoman of the Year for 2002 in the 20th annual poll conducted by the UEPS.

Schumacher, who also picked up the award last year and in 1994, won 11 Grands Prix in 2002 and the World Championship for a record-equalling fifth time.

Norwegian biathlete Ole Einar Bjoerndalen, who won four gold medals at the Salt Lake Winter Olympic Games, was second and Alpine skier Stefan Eberharter of Austria, overall World Cup winner, was third.

Sportswoman of the Year Kostelic was a triple Olympic champion in the giant slalom, slalom and combined events and silver medal winner in the Super-G at Salt Lake City.

British runner Paula Radcliffe was second in the vote after finally setting the athletics world alight. She took the Commonwealth Games 5,000 metres title and clocked a European record in the European Championship 10,000 metres final as well as setting a world best mark in the Chicago marathon.

German swimmer Franziska van Almsick was third after a remarkable comeback from a decade of frustrating results. She won five golds at the European long-course championships in Berlin where she broke her 200 metres freestyle world record.