- Title: Athletes of the Year shortlist
- Date: 9th November 2016
- Summary: RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL (AUGUST 8, 2016) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF JAMAICAN SPRINTER USAIN BOLT DANCING WITH WOMEN ON AND OFF STAGE JAMAICAN SPRINTER ASAFA POWELL IN AUDIENCE 'LIGHTNING' BOLT
- Embargoed: 24th November 2016 17:24
- Keywords: IAAF awards Bolt Thompson Ayana Farah Niekerk Wlodarczyk
- Location: VARIOUS
- Topics: Olympics,Sport
- Reuters ID: LVA00157Q7RCV
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Jamaicans Usain Bolt and Elaine Thompson both made the shortlists for the IAAF's World Athlete of the Year awards on Wednesday (November 9) after cleaning up the sprint golds at the Rio Olympics.
Ethiopian distance runner Almaz Ayana also made the shortlist in recognition of her stunning 10,000 metres victory in Rio.
Bolt, a five-time former winner of the award, became the first person to win three consecutive 100 and 200 metres Olympic golds in Rio de Janeiro in August.
He also holds the world records in the two disciplines, 9.58 seconds and 19.19 seconds, respectively.
Thompson matched Bolt's feat by also winning the 100m and 200m golds in Rio.
Ayana broke a 23-year-old record to win the 10,000 metres after clocking 29:18.45 at the Rio Games, where she also took the bronze in 5,000 metres.
Bolt was joined on the men's list by two-time 5,000 and 10,000 metres Olympic champion Mo Farah of Britain and South African Wayde van Niekerk, the double 400m Olympic champion. Mo Farah won the European Athlete of the Year award.
Anita Wlodarczyk of Poland also made the women's list after retaining her hammer title in Rio.
The winners will be announced in Monaco in December. - Copyright Holder: FILE REUTERS (CAN SELL)
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