Bolt and Pearson named Athletes of the Year

MONACO, (Reuters) – Jamaican Usain Bolt and  Australian Sally Pearson were named Athletes of the Year by the  International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) today.
Bolt, winning the award for the third time, bounced back  from disqualification for false starting in the world 100 metres  final to retain his 200m title, before anchoring Jamaica to win  the 4x100m relay in a world record time.
Pearson enjoyed a phenomenal season, winning 15 of 16 races  and taking the world 100m hurdles title in 12.28 seconds, the  fastest time in 19 years.
Bolt beat compatriot and 100m world champion Yohan Blake,  along with Kenyan David Rudisha, to the award, while Pearson  pipped Kenyan world 5,000 and 10,000m champion Vivian Cheruiyot  and world shot put champion Valerie Adams of New Zealand.
Bolt was in less dominant form this year after returning  from a back injury that ended his 2010 season, but still clocked  the fastest 100m of the season (9.76secs) in Brussels on Sept.  16, the same night that Blake ran the second fastest 200m of all  time – second only to the Olympic champion.
Blake’s superb run in the Belgian capital earned him male  performance of the year.