Bolt, Fraser-Pryce in running for IAAF's top award

Monaco, Oct 2 (IANS) Jamaican star sprinters Usain Bolt and Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce were both included in the 10-men and 10-women shortlist for the 2013 World Athlete of the Year Award, the world governing body of the sport announced.

“The IAAF is pleased to announce the names of the 10 men and 10 women who have been shortlisted for the 2013 World Athlete of the Year Award. The candidates have been selected by an IAAF panel of athletics experts,” said the IAAF on its website Tuesday.

Though he could not set a new world record in 2013, Bolt still enjoyed a convincing dominance in the men’s 100m and 200m events, claiming both titles at the World Championships in Moscow in August.

With Yohan Blake injured out and Asafa Powell tested positive before the World Championships, Bolt managed to pace the Jamaican 4X100m relay team to the top podium.

Fraser-Pryce also made her history in Moscow, becoming the first woman to win the treble of 100m, 200m and relay golds at Worlds.

The shortlist will be trimmed to three men and as many women following a voting process and the winner of the World Athlete of the Year Award will be announced during the World Athletics Gala Nov 16.

The candidates for the World Athlete of the Year Award are (athletes listed in alphabetical order):

Men:

Mohammed Aman, Ethiopia

Usain Bolt, Jamaica

Bohdan Bondarenko, Ukraine

Ashton Eaton, United States

Mohamed Farah, Britain

Robert Harting, Germany

Wilson Kipsang, Kenya

Aleksandr Menkov, Russia

LaShawn Merritt, United States

Teddy Tamgho, France

Women:

Valerie Adams, New Zealand

Abeba Aregawi, Sweden

Meseret Defar, Ethiopia

Tirunesh Dibaba, Ethiopia

Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, Jamaica

Zuzana Hejnova, Czech Repbulic

Caterine Ibarguen, Colombia

Sandra Perkovic, Croatia

Brianna Rollins, United States

Svetlana Shkolina, Russia