Finalists announced for '2011 World Athlete of the Year'

The ’2011 world athlete of the year’ will be announced later this week as IAAF has finalised three candidates each for both the male and female categories. The ’2011 World Athletics Gala’ will take place in Monaco on 12th November 2011 and the winner will be announced by the IAF (international Athletic Federation). The winner will take home US$100,000 as a prize money.

The top three male finalists are:

1. Yohan Blake (Jamaica)

21-year-old Yohan Blake is the 100m world champion, he has also won gold in 4*100m relay with team-mates like Nesta Carter, Michael Frater and Usain Bolt.

2. Usain Bolt (Jamaica)

25-year-old Usain Bolt is 200m world champion and also has set the fastest time for 100m with time of 9.76s during the same year. He has also pocketed gold in 4*100m relay in world championship.

3. David Rudisha (Kenya)

22-year-old David Ludisha won the 800m world championship title with fastest time of 1:41.33s.

Top three female finalists are:

1. Valerie Adams (New Zealand)

Valerie Adams won the gold medal of Shot-put in world championships.

2. Vivian Cheruiyot (Kenya)

Vivian has pocketed two gold medals in world championships this year in 10000m and 5000m events, also has bagged a gold in IAAF world cross country in Spain.

3. Sally Pearson (Australia)

2008 Olympic silver medalist Sally Pearson has pocketed a gold in 100m hurdles in 2011 world championships with a time of 12.28s.

In the first week of October the IAAF announced the top 10 male and female athletics who were in contention to grab the award. The ‘top 10′ were selected by an IAAF pannel of 8 athletics experts. The federation then went through a three week poll to finalize top three athletes in respective categories.

Top 10 male athletes:

Yohan Blake (Jamaica) – 100m, 4*100m relay.

Usain Bolt (Jamaica) – 200m, 4*100m relay.

Mo Farah (Great Britain) 5000m.

Robert Harting (Germany) Discus throw.

Kirani James (Grenada) 400m.

Patrick Makau (Kenya) Marathon.

Koji Murofushi (Japan) Hammer throw.

David Rudisha (Kenya) 800m

Christian Taylor (USA) Tripple jump.

Jesse Williams (USA) High jump.

Top 10 female athletes:

Maria Abakumova (Russia,) Javelin throw.

Valerie Adams (New Zealand) Shot-put.

Veronica Campbell Brown (Jamaica) 200m.

Tatyana Chernova (Russia) Heptathlon.

Vivian Cheruiyot (Kenya) 5000m and 10000m.

Anna Chicherova (Russia) High jump.

Lashinda Demus (USA) 400m hurdles

Carmelita Jeter (USA) 100m, 4*100m relay

Amantle Montsho (Botswana) 400m.

Sally Pearson (Australia) 100m hurdles.