IAAF names four Africans in 2013 World athletes award shortlist

The International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) today announced the names of the 10 men and 10 women who have been shortlisted for the 2013 World Athlete of the Year Award.

Among the candidates, who have been selected by an [link id=”175″ tax=”post_tag” text=”IAAF”] panel of athletics experts* are four African star athletes (2 men and 2 women) who excelled in 2013.

1. [link id=”256″ tax=”post_tag” text=”Mohammed Aman“], from [link id=”82″ tax=”category” text=”Ethiopia”] (born January 10, 1994)  – World 800m champion & Diamond Race winner; won 10 out of 11 races at 800m in 2013.
2. [link id=”299″ tax=”post_tag” text=”Wilson Kipsang“], from [link id=”81″ tax=”category” text=”Kenya”] (born March 15, 1982) – Berlin Marathon champion in a World record 2:03:23, Winner of the New York Half Marathon.
3. [link id=”274″ tax=”post_tag” text=”Meseret Defar“], from [link id=”82″ tax=”category” text=”Ethiopia”] (born November 19, 1983) – World 5000m champion & Diamond Race winner, world lead at 3000m & 10,000m.
4. [link id=”249″ tax=”post_tag” text=”Tirunesh Dibaba“], from [link id=”82″ tax=”category” text=”Ethiopia”] (born October 1, 1985) – World champion at 10,000m and clocked the fastest road 10km since 2005.

According to the IAAF’s statement released today:

An email poll involving the World Athletics Family** begins today, Tuesday 1 October and will close on Sunday 27 October, midnight CET.

At the conclusion of the voting process, three male and three female finalists will be selected and announced by the IAAF.

The Council of the International Athletic Foundation will then select the male and female winners, with the announcement taking place live on stage during the 2013 World Athletics Gala on Saturday November 16, 2013.

All the shortlisted candidates for the 2013 World Athlete of the Year Award are (athletes listed in alphabetical order, the Africans in bold):

Men

1. Mohammed Aman (ETH)
2. Usain Bolt (JAM)
3. Bohdan Bondarenko (UKR)
4. Ashton Eaton (USA)
5. Mohamed Farah (GBR)
6. Robert Harting (GER)
7. Wilson Kipsang (KEN)
8. Aleksandr Menkov (RUS)
9. LaShawn Merritt (USA)
10. Teddy Tamgho (FRA)

Women

1. Valerie Adams (NZL)
2. Abeba Aregawi (SWE)
3. Meseret Defar (ETH)
4. Tirunesh Dibaba (ETH)
5. Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce (JAM)
6. Zuzana Hejnova (CZE)
7. Caterine Ibargüen (COL)
8. Sandra Perkovic (CRO)
9. Brianna Rollins (USA)
10. Svetlana Shkolina (RUS)

Note:

(*The international panel of athletics experts includes representatives from all six continental areas of the IAAF

**World Athletics Family: IAAF & IAF Council Members; IAAF national Member Federations; IAAF Committee & Commission Members; IAAF Meeting Directors; IAAF Athlete Ambassadors; Athletes’ Representatives; Top Athletes; Members of the International Press; IAAF Staff Members & the IAAF’s Official Partners.)