Named in honour of Piotr Nurowski, a former President of the Polish Olympic Committee who died in a plane crash in 2010 at the age of 64, the award is presented annually to the best young athlete in summer sports and winter sports.

National Olympic Committees have until September 1 to submit their country’s nominee, with the awards due to be handed out at the EOC General Assembly in Istanbul on October 6 and 7.

The winner earns the prize of a training scholarship worth €15,000 (£12,940/$16,470).

The second and third placed athletes are given scholarships worth €8,000 (£6,900/$8,780) and €5,000 (£4,300/$5,490) respectively, while those placed in fourth and fifth receive scholarships of €3,000 (£4,300/$5,480).

To be successful athletes must be aged 18 or under, have demonstrated outstanding sporting achievements, embodied Olympic culture and values and showcased exceptional behaviour or conduct either on or off the field of play.

Last year’s Summer Best Young European Athlete prize went to Serbian athlete Angelina Topić, who aged 17 won bronze in the high jump at the 2022 European Athletics Championships, in the process becoming the event’s youngest medallist.

The Winter Best Young European Athlete prize was awarded earlier this year, to Slovakia’s Nela Lopušanová, who was named player of the tournament during the Winter European Youth Olympic Festival ice hockey tournament, in which Slovakia won the silver medals.