Van Niekerk, Semenya nominated for IAAF world athlete of the year
Following his world record performance in winning Olympic Gold in Rio in the men’s 400m, South African Wayde van Niekerk has been nominated for the IAAF male world athlete of the year.
Van Niekerk blew away the field to win his race in 43.03 seconds, beating out the previous World Record achieved by American Michael Johnson in 1999.
The 24-year-old SA sprinting sensation will be up against Jamaica’s Usain Bolt and Great Britain’s Mo Farah who are also among the nominees.
Following gold in the women’s 800m in Rio, Caster Semenya made the list of nominees on the women’s side.
A list of 10 men and 10 women was announced on Tuesday by the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF). The IAAF awards night in Monaco will be held on December 2.
The nominees for 2016 World Athlete of the Year are:
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)