Countdown
With the selection process to choose the 2016 World Athletes of the Year now underway, here’s a closer look at this year’s 10 women’s nominees who were selected by an international panel of athletics experts, comprising representatives from all six continental areas of the IAAF.
The winner will be announced at the IAAF Athletics Awards 2016 in Monaco on Friday 2 December.
The women’s nominees (listed alphabetically):
Almaz Ayana (ETH) distance
Olympic champion at 10,000m with 29:17.45 world record. Diamond Race winner and Olympic bronze medal at 5000m. Ran world-leading 14:12.59 at 5000m, the second fastest performance of all time.
Ruth Beitia (ESP) high jump
Olympic champion, European champion and Diamond Race winner. World indoor silver. Unbeaten at 10 successive contests since June. Season’s best of 1.98m.
Vivian Cheruiyot (KEN) distance
Olympic champion at 5000m. Olympic silver at 10,000m with 29:32.53, the third-fastest time ever.
Kendra Harrison (USA) 100m hurdles
Breaker of a 28-year-old world record with 12.20 and Diamond Race winner. Winner of 10 out of 11 finals outdoors. Produced eight of the year’s nine fastest performances.
Caterine Ibarguen (COL) triple jump
Olympic champion, Diamond Race winner and world leader with 15.17m. Winner of nine out of 10 finals. Produced five of the year’s eight longest jumps.
Ruth Jebet (BRN) 3000m steeplechase
Olympic champion and Diamond Race winner. World record of 8:52.78 backed up with the third and fourth-fastest performances of all time. Asian Championship silvers at 3000m indoors and cross country.
Sandra Perkovic (CRO) discus
Olympic champion, European champion, Diamond Race winner and world leader with 70.88m. Unbeaten in 11 competitions. Produced the year's five longest throws and eight of the longest 10.
Caster Semenya (RSA) 800m
Olympic champion, Diamond Race winner and world leader with 1:55.28. African champion in three events. Winner of 23 out of 24 finals across four individual events. Produced the year's three fastest 800m performances and six of the best eight.
Elaine Thompson (JAM) sprints
Olympic champion and world leads at both 100m and 200m in 10.70 and 21.78 respectively. Diamond Race winner at 100m. Olympic 4x100m silver and world indoor 60m bronze.
Anita Wlodarczyk (POL) hammer
Olympic champion, European champion and IAAF Hammer Throw Challenge winner. Two world records – 82.29m and 82.98m – to complete an unbeaten season across 12 competitions.
The voting procedure for the 2016 World Athletes of the Year:
A three-way voting process will determine the finalists.
The IAAF Council and the IAAF Family* will cast their votes by email, while fans can vote online via the IAAF's social media platforms. Individual graphics for each nominee will be posted on Facebook and Twitter later this week; a 'like' or 'favourite' will count as one vote.
The IAAF Council’s vote will count for 50% of the result, while the IAAF Family’s votes and the public votes will each count for 25% of the final result.
Voting closes on 1 November. At the conclusion of the voting process, three men and three women finalists will be announced by the IAAF.
The male and female World Athletes of the Year will be announced live on stage at the IAAF Athletics Awards 2016.
IAAF
* IAAF Family: IAAF member federations, IAAF Committee members, IAAF meeting directors, IAAF athlete ambassadors, athletes’ representatives, top athletes, members of the international press, IAAF staff members and the IAAF’s official partners.
