American sprinter Justin Gatlin, undefeated in all of his races this season, has been shortlisted for the 2014 World Athlete of the Year award, the IAAF announced on Friday.
Gatlin, the 2004 Olympic 100m gold medallist and double sprint world champion in 2005 before serving a 2006-10 doping ban, belied his 32 years during an incredible season.
French athletes Renaud Lavillenie and Yohann Diniz were also among the ten male athletes shortlisted along with Kenyan Dennis Kipruto Kimetto, after all three broke world records this season.
Olympic pole vault champion Lavillenie broke the 21-year world record of Serguei Bubka with a 6.16m clearance in February at Donetsk watched by the Ukrainian legend.
Diniz set a new mark in the 50km walk on his way to the European title in Zurich, while Kimetto set a new world record in the Berlin Marathon last month.
Poland's Anita Wlodarczyk, who reclaimed the world hammer record (79.58m) and Ethiopian Genzebe Dibaba, holder of the world indoor records over 1500m and 3000m, made the 10-woman shortlist.Voting will take place until October 16 for athletes, federations and the media with the IAAF ruling council making the final decision from a final shortlist of three candidates on November 21.
Men
Nigel Amos (BOT)
Mutaz Essa Barshim (QAT)
Jairus Kipchoge Birech (KEN)
Bohdan Bondarenko (UKR)
Yohann Diniz (FRA)
Justin Gatlin USA)
Robert Harting(GER)
Dennis Kipruto Kimetto(KEN)
Renaud Lavillenie(FRA)
LaShawn Merritt(USA)
Women
Valerie Adams(NZL)
Genzebe Dibaba(ETH)
Dawn Harper Nelson (USA)
Caterine Ibarguen (COL)
Francena McCorory (USA)
Sandra Perkovic (CRO)
Dafne Schippers(NED)
Kaliese Spencer (JAM)
Barbora Spotakova (CZE)
Anita Wlodarczyk (POL)
Source: AFP