Valerie Adams, Dennis Kimetto and Renaud Lavillenie among 20 award candidates

The IAAF has named the 10 male and 10 female athletes shortlisted for the 2014 World Athlete of the Year Award.

Shot put star Valerie Adams, who extended her winning streak to 56 competitions in 2014 and added another world indoor and Commonwealth title to her multiple world and Olympic gold medals, has again been included in the shortlist having finished in the top three last year as the female honour went to Jamaican sprinter Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce.

The male World Athlete of the Year Award again went to Usain Bolt in 2013, marking only the third time that athletes from the same country had won both awards. With his year having been interrupted by injury, Bolt – who has won the IAAF male athlete of the year award a record five times – does not feature on this year’s list, though Bohdan Bondarenko – who the sprinter beat to last year’s honour – has been included, alongside the likes of his fellow high jumper Mutaz Essa Barshim following what has been an incredible year for the event.

Botswana’s Nijel Amos, who beat world record-holder David Rudisha in a thrilling Commonwealth Games 800m and went on to claim victory at the Continental Cup and African Championships, is also among the candidates, are are this year’s world record-breakers Yohann Diniz, Dennis Kimetto and Renaud Lavillenie. Jairus Kipchoge Birech, Justin Gatlin, Robert Harting and LaShawn Merritt are also on the list.

Adams is joined on the female list by Genzebe Dibaba, who set three world indoor records in just 15 days in February over 1500m, 2 miles and 3000m as well as won the world indoor 3000m title and claimed victory outdoors over the same distance at the Continental Cup. Poland’s Anita Wlodarczyk, who recently broke the hammer world-record, is also a candidate, as are Dawn Harper-Nelson, Caterine Ibarguen, Francena McCorory, Sandra Perkovic, Dafne Schippers, Kaliese Spencer and Barbora Spotakova.

Finalists will be decided by way of an email poll involving the ‘World Athletics Family which includes IAAF and International Athletic Foundation (IAF) council and staff members, national federations, meeting directors and press. The poll, which opened on Friday, will end Thursday October 16.

At the end of that voting process, three male and three female finalists will be announced, with the winners, selected by the council of the IAF, named at the IAAF World Athletics Gala on Friday November 21.

Candidates for the World Athlete of the Year Award

MEN

Nigel Amos (BOT)
Mutaz Essa Barshim (QAT)
Jairus Kipchoge Birech (KEN)
Bohdan Bondarenko (UKR)
Yohann Diniz (FRA)
Justin Gatlin (USA)
Robert Harting (GER)
Dennis Kipruto Kimetto (KEN)
Renaud Lavillenie (FRA)
LaShawn Merritt (USA)

WOMEN

Valerie Adams (NZL)
Genzebe Dibaba (ETH)
Dawn Harper Nelson (USA)
Caterine Ibarguen (COL)
Francena McCorory (USA)
Sandra Perkovic (CRO)
Dafne Schippers (NED)
Kaliese Spencer (JAM)
Barbora Spotakova (CZE)
Anita Wlodarczyk (POL)

AW readers can also have their say as to who and what has most impressed them in the world of athletics in 2014 – check out our athletes of the year categories and then cast your votes here

The post Athletes shortlisted for IAAF World Athlete of the Year Award appeared first on Athletics Weekly.