Jamaican training partners Yohan Blake and Usain Bolt along with Kenya’s 800m World record holder David Rudisha are the three male athletes who are still in contention to become the 2011 World Athlete of the Year and to take home the US$100,000 prize.
Bolt and Rudisha alone have conquered the last three World Athletes of the Year trophies with the Jamaican double sprint World record holder claiming top honours back in 2008 and 2009 and Rudisha being crowned the best athlete in the world twelve months ago.
Blake, on the other hand, is a first time candidate for the award which has previously been presented to legendary sprinters such as Carl Lewis, Michael Johnson, Asafa Powell and Tyson Gay to name just a few…
Let’s take a look back at each of their individual achievements of the season…
Finalists are: (in alphabetical order)
Men
Yohan Blake Jamaica
Usain Bolt Jamaica
David Rudisha Kenya
Yohan Blake 21 years old
Won the 100m World Championships title in Daegu
Set the 4x100m World record with team-mates Nesta Carter, Michael Frater and Usain Bolt
Ran the second fastest 200m of all-time at 19.26
Usain Bolt 25 years old
Won the 200m World Championships title in Daegu
Set the 4x100m World record with team-mates Nesta Carter, Michael Frater and Yohan Blake
Ran the fastest 100m time of the year at 9.76
David Rudisha 22 years old
Won the 800m World Championships title in Daegu
Ran the fastest 800m time of the year at 1:41.33
Ran five of the 10 fastest 800 metres of all season
The winners of the 2011 World Athlete of the Year Awards will be announced live, on stage, during the 2011 World Athletics Gala, which will take place in Monaco, on 12 November 2011.
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