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 IAAF panel of athletics experts* are four African star athletes (2 men and 2 women) who excelled in 2013.

1. Mohammed Aman, from Ethiopia (born January 10, 1994)  – World 800m champion & Diamond Race winner; won 10 out of 11 races at 800m in 2013.
2. Wilson Kipsang, from Kenya (born March 15, 1982) – Berlin Marathon champion in a World record 2:03:23, Winner of the New York Half Marathon.
3. Meseret Defar, from Ethiopia (born November 19, 1983) – World 5000m champion & Diamond Race winner, world lead at 3000m & 10,000m.
4. Tirunesh Dibaba, from 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)

Source; athletics-africa.com