LONDON, (Reuters) – World and Olympic champions Usain Bolt and Kenenisa Bekele were among five contenders shortlisted for the male Athlete of the Year award yesterday.
At this year’s world championships Jamaica’s Bolt added the 100 metre and 200m titles to the Olympic golds he won last year, when he was named the International Association of Athletics Federations’ (IAAF) male Athlete of the Year, while Ethiopian Bekele did the same over 5,000 and 10,000m.
Also on the shortlist are American sprinter Tyson Gay, Australian pole vaulter Steve Hooker and Norway’s javelin thrower Andreas Thorkildsen.
The women’s shortlist will be released today with both winners being announced during the World Athletics Gala in Monaco on Nov. 22.
