17 October 2002 – Monte Carlo - With the close of the 2002 outdoor season upon us, the International Athletic Foundation (IAF) has conducted its annual poll of a 12 strong panel of Athletics experts, in order to select the top 10 male and female athletes of the year.

The athletes decided upon are, in alphabetical order, as follows –

Foundation Athlete of the Year Awards

Male	Female
Jonathan Edwards (GBR) TJ	Berhane Adere (ETH) 5000m/10,000m
Hicham El Guerrouj (MAR) 1500m	Surreya Ayhan (TUR) 1500m
Robert Fazekas (HUN) HT	Kajsa Bergqvist (SWE) HJ
Konstadinos Kederis (GRE) 200m	Gail Devers (USA) 100mH
Khalid Khannouchi (USA) MAR	Svetlana Feofanova (RUS) PV
Wilson Kipketer (DEN) 800m	Debbie Ferguson (BAH) 100m/200m
Robert Korzeniowski (POL) Walks	Ana Guevara (MEX) 400m
Tim Montgomery (USA) 100m	Marion Jones (USA) 100m/200m
Felix Sanchez (DOM) 400mH	Maria Mutola (MOZ) 800m
Roman Sebrle (CZE) DEC	Paula Radcliffe (GBR) 5/10,000m/MAR

The IAF Council will meet prior to the World Athletics Gala, which this year will be held at the Sporting Club in Monte Carlo on Sunday, 17 November, to decide the top three male and female names, with the Athlete of the Year announced live on stage at the Gala.

As part of the IAAF’s build up to the World Athletics Gala 2002, over the coming weeks we will be re-visiting some of the memorable highlights of the 2002 season, which helped to secure the nominations of these twenty athletes.

The International Nominations Panel of Athletics Experts who made the top ten selection are as follows, in alphabetical order

Sergey Bubka (UKR) – World Record Holder for Pole Vault, 6 time IAAF World Champion, IAAF Council Member and Executive Board Member of the International Olympic Committee
Nick Davies  (GBR) – Director of IAAF Communications Department
James Dunaway (USA) – Freelance Track Correspondent for Track & Field News and numerous other publications
David Culbert (AUS) - Member of the IAAF Press Commission
Istvan Gyulai  (HUN) - IAAF General Secretary
Atsushi Hoshino (JPN) – Representing Japan Sports Press Association, Kyodo News Agency, Member of the IAAF Press Commission
Fekrou Kidane (ETH) – former Director of International Co-operation, International Olympic Committee, Member of the IOC Press Commission
Peter Matthews (GBR) – Editor of premier athletics statistics annual Athletics 2002
Omulo Okoth  (KEN) – Sub-editor of the Nation newspaper, Nairobi
Robert Pariente (FRA) – Author, former Editorial Director of l’Equipe, and member of the IAAF Press Commission
Roberto Quercetani (ITA) – Author, historian and correspondent for numerous sports periodicals including Track & Field News, La Gazzetta dello Sport and La Nazione
Benedicto Turco (BRA) – Press Officer of the Brazilian Athletics Confederation, Member of the IAAF Press Commission