Rudisha, Conseslus, Cheruiyot, Kipchoge nominated for IAAF Award

Kenyan Olympic champions David Rudisha, Eliud Kipchoge, Conselsus Kipruto and Vivian Cheruiyot have made the long list of 20 nominees for the 2016 World Athletes of the Year Award that will be presented at the IAAF World Gala in Monaco.

Rudisha who defended his men 800m gold medal in Rio won the award in 2010 on the back of breaking the world record twice that season while Cheruiyot was famously denied the gong the following year when she was the overwhelming favourite having won the women 5000m and 10000m double at the 2011 IAAF Daegu Worlds.

It will be the first time for Kipchoge and Conseslus to appear in the long list having won the men marathon and 3000m steeplechase gold medals in Rio.

Kipchoge also won a second London Marathon title in the second fastest race ever of 2:03:05 that is the quickest this year while Conseslus added the IAAF Diamond League crown to his expanding honours list.

Cheruiyot is the only Kenyan female in the list of 10 men and 10 women after winning Kenya her first ever women 5000m title in a national record in Brazil that came after winning silver in the 10000m with the third fastest time in history.

An international panel of athletes’ experts, comprising representatives from the IAAF member countries selected the nominees and they will determine the finalists who will travel to Monaco for the Gala.

There will be online voting on the IAAF social media platforms with the council having a 50 percent while the IAAF Family will contribute the other half of the votes.

The voting process will commence November 1 where three men and women finalist will be announced during the Awards Night.

-Bolt record chase-

Jamaican sprint king, Usain Bolt will be going for a record sixth Athlete of the Year Award after clinching his third Olympics triple when he defended his 100m and 200m as well as being part of his country’s 4x100m quartet in Rio to crown his status as a legend of the sport.

Britain’s Mo Farah is also in the running after defending his Olympics 5000m and 10000m crowns in Brazil while South African Wayde van Nierkerk who shattered the 400m record in the 31st Olympics Games features for the first time.

Kenyan born Bahraini Olympics and Diamond League champion in the women 3000m steeplechase, Ruth Jebet, who also smashed the world record this season will be among the favourites alongside South African Caster Semenya who breezed to the women 800m title in Rio besides topping the global circuit.

Africa’s representation in the women’s long-list is completed by Ethiopian Almaz Ayana who put together the most accomplished distance running display at the Rio Olympics when she won the women 10000m title in a sparkling new 29:17:45 world record that bettered a mark set way back in 1993.

NOMINEES

Men

Usain Bolt (JAM)

Thiago Braz da Silva (BRA)

Ashton Eaton (USA)

Mo Farah (GBR)

Eliud Kipchoge (KEN)

Conselsus Kipruto (KEN)

Omar McLeod (JAM)

David Rudisha (KEN)

Christian Taylor (USA)

Wayde van Niekerk (RSA)

Women

Almaz Ayana (ETH)

Ruth Beitia (ESP)

Vivian Cheruiyot (KEN)

Kendra Harrison (USA)

Caterine Ibarguen (COL)

Ruth Jebet (BRN)

Sandra Perkovic (CRO)

Caster Semenya (RSA)

Elaine Thompson (JAM)

Anita Wlodarczyk (POL)