2016 World Athlete of the Year longlist nominees - middle and long distances (© Getty Images)
With just six days to go before voting for the 2016 World Athletes of the Year concludes, here’s another look at this year's men’s and women’s longlist candidates, continuing today with those who excelled in the middle and long distances.
Almaz Ayana (ETH) opened the Rio 2016 Olympic athletics programme with a stunning 10,000m world record of 29:17.45. At 5000m, the 24-year-old took Olympic bronze, won the Diamond Race, and ran a world-leading 14:12.59, the second fastest performance of all time.
Vivian Cheruiyot (KEN) won the Olympic 5000m title and finished second in the Rio 10,000m with 29:32.53, the third-fastest time ever.
Mo Farah (GBR) successfully defended his Olympic titles at 5000m and 10,000m and ended the season unbeaten in six races at those distances and the 3000m. He clocked a world lead of 12:59.29 at 5000m and took bronze at the IAAF World Half Marathon Championships.
Ruth Jebet (BRN), the Olympic champion and Diamond Race winner in the 3000m steeplechase. Jebet broke the world record with 8:52.78, a performance she backed up with the third and fourth-fastest runs of all time. All before her 20th birthday.
Eliud Kipchoge (KEN), the Olympic marathon gold medallist, London Marathon winner, and World Marathon Majors champion. The 31-year-old broke the world record for 30km with 1:27:13 and clocked a marathon season's best of 2:03:05.
Conseslus Kipruto (KEN), the Olympic champion and Diamond Race winner in the 3000m steeplechase. The 21-year-old won seven of eight steeplechase finals, clocked a world lead of 8:00.12 and produced the five fastest performances of the year.
David Rudisha (KEN) successfully defended his Olympic title with a 1:42.15 world lead, the world’s quickest time since 2012. He became the second fastest of all time at 600m with 1:13.10.
Caster Semenya (RSA), the Olympic 800m champion, Diamond Race winner and world leader with 1:55.28. The 25-year-old won the African title in three events, and won 23 out of 24 finals across four individual events. She produced the year's three fastest 800m performances and six of the best eight.
The winners will be announced at the IAAF Athletics Awards 2016 in Monaco on Friday 2 December.
The Voting Procedure for the 2016 World Athletes of the Year:
A three-way voting process will determine the finalists.
The IAAF Council and the IAAF Family* will cast their votes by email, while fans can vote online via the IAAF's social media platforms. Individual graphics for each nominee have been posted on the IAAF's Facebook and Twitter accounts; a 'like' or 'favourite' will count as one vote.
The IAAF Council’s vote will count for 50% of the result, while the IAAF Family’s votes and the public votes will each count for 25% of the final result.
Voting closes on 1 November. At the conclusion of the voting process, three men and three women finalists will be announced by the IAAF.
The male and female World Athletes of the Year will be announced live on stage at the IAAF Athletics Awards 2016.
IAAF
* IAAF Family: IAAF member federations, IAAF Committee 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.
