Africans rising
Seven African athletes nominated for the 2016 World Athlete of the year award
The IAAF has announced the shortlist for this year’s World Athlete of the year award. The list of 20 superstars has seven African athletes including South African duo of Caster Semenya and Wayde van Niekerk, Kenya’s David Rudisha and Vivian Cheruiyot as well as Ethiopia’s Almaz Ayana. Fans will also get to vote on the IAAF’s social media platforms. Who are you voting for?
The IAAF has announced the shortlist for this year’s World Athlete of the Year award. The list of 20 superstars has seven African athletes including South Africa duo of Caster Semenya and Wayde van Niekerk, Kenya’s David Rudisha and Vivian Cheruiyot.
The other African athletes who make up the list are Kenya’s Eliud Kipchoge and Conseslus Kipruto and these athletes are up against the world’s very best.
South African Olympic champion and world record holder Van Niekerk who won the gold medal at the Rio 2016 Olympics smashing the 400m world record which was set by U.S. sprinter Michael Johnson in 1999, has a good chance to be crowned the world’s best athlete.
Read: Social media reacts to Wayde van Niekerk’s 400m gold and world record
In the women’s category South Africa’s Olympic champion Semenya who the gold medal in the 800 metres women’s final also has a good chance.
South Africa’s Wayde van Niekerk poses by the results board after he broke the world record in the Men’s 400m Final during the athletics event at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games at the Olympic Stadium in Rio de Janeiro on August 14, 2016. Photo: ANP/ AFP Olivier Morin
A three-way voting process will determine the finalists. The IAAF Council, the IAAF Family (who will vote by email), and fans (online vote via the IAAF’s social media platforms) will determine the winners.
The winners of the male and female categories will be named at the IAAF Awards Night in Monaco on Friday 2 December 2016.
The nominees for 2016 World Athlete of the Year are:
Men
Usain Bolt (JAM)
Thiago Braz da Silva (BRA)
Ashton Eaton (USA)
Mo Farah (GBR)
Eliud Kipchoge (KEN)
Conseslus Kipruto (KEN)
Omar McLeod (JAM)
David Rudisha (KEN)
Christian Taylor (USA)
Wayde van Niekerk (RSA)
Women
Almaz Ayana (ETH)
Ruth Beitia (ESP)
Vivian Cheruiyot (KEN)
Kendra Harrison (USA)
Caterine Ibarguen (COL)
Ruth Jebet (BRN)
Sandra Perkovic (CRO)
Caster Semenya (RSA)
Elaine Thompson (JAM)
Anita Wlodarczyk (POL)