Makau, Bolt, Blake, Rudisha are selected for top IAAF Award

Patrick Makau

Berlin marathon champion Patrick Makau (Kenya) and David Rudisha (Kenya), the world 800m champion, have been named alongside icons Usain Bolt (Jamaica), Yohan Blake (Jamaica) and Veronica Campbell Brown (Jamaica) for the coveted 2011 World Athlete of the Year Award, which will be handed out to the successful winner in the Municipality of Monaco on November 12.

In the men’s category, Kenya has two athletes, world 800m champion Rudisha and Berlin marathon winner Makau. Both athletes hold records in their respective events with Rudisha, 22, having set the two-lap mark in Rieti, Italy last year of 1:41.01 while Makau stunned the world and Haile Gebrselassie when he cut to shreds the Ethiopian world record of 2:03.59.

Usain Bolt

Usain Bolt has won the award twice in the last three years, winning in 2008 and 2009, with Asafa Powell (2006) being the only other Jamaican male to have received the accolade.

Jamaica is represented by Usain Bolt and Yohan Blake in the men’s category. Blake, who also lowered his 100m personal best this year to 9.82, before threatening Bolt’s 200m world record mark with the second fastest time in history – 19.26 in Brussels – says he is extremely happy with the consideration.

Rudisha was the male winner last year while Croatian Blanka Vlasic took the women’s crown.