Kenya’s Dennis Kipruto Kimetto and Ethiopia’s Genzebe Dibaba have made the final three-person shortlist for the 2014 International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) World Athlete of the Year Award.
The duo are the only Africans still in contention to become the 2014 IAAF World Athletes of the Year after the IAAF announced the names of the three men and three women finalists for the award on Friday.
Dennis Kimetto, the new world marathon record-holder, has had an incredible year after smashing the previous world record held by compatriot Wilson Kipsang in 2:02:57 at the Berlin Marathon on September 28.
Kimetto, 30, also holds the Chicago Marathon (2:03:45) and the Tokyo Marathon (2:06:50) course records.
Genzebe Dibaba also had an unbelievable year. The Ethiopian became the World Indoor 1500m champion in Sopot in March, and broke three indoor world records before taking the IAAF Continental Cup in Marrakech in September and winning IAAF Diamond Race.
The finalists were selected after a two-week-long poll of the world athletics family – made up of IAAF & IAF Council members; IAAF national member federations; IAAF Committee & Commission 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.
The finalists for the IAAF World Athlete of the Year Award are:
Men
Mutaz Essa Barshim (QAT)
Dennis Kipruto Kimetto (KEN)
Renaud Lavillenie (FRA)
Women
Valerie Adams (NZL)
Genzebe Dibaba (ETH)
Dafne Schippers (NED)
The Council of the International Athletics Foundation will select the male and female winners, with the announcement taking place live on stage during the 2014 World Athletics Gala in Monaco on November 21, 2014.
http://www.athletics-africa.com/
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