Bolt, Pearson named IAAF athletes of the year
November 13th, 2011 - 5:27 pm ICT by IANSMonaco, Nov 13 (IANS) Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt and Australia’s Sally Pearson, the world 100m hurdles champion, were named IAAF athletes of the year here.
Bolt, the Olympic 100-metre champion, wins the award for the third time after being honoured in 2008 and 2009.
This year the 25-year-old notably retained his 200m crown at the world championships in Daegu where he also helped Jamaica defend the 4×100m relay in a new world record time of 37.04 seconds.
In South Korea, Bolt squandered his chance to defend his world 100m crown when he was disqualified from the final for a false start, allowing compatriot Yohan Blake to succeed him.
It was in Daegu that Pearson, 25, produced the fourth fastest time in history, and the fastest in 19 years, for the women’s hurdles event which she dominated in a time of 12.21 seconds.
She becomes the first athlete from Oceania to be honoured by the IAAF since the awards were introduced in 1988.
Pearson won 10 of her 11 competitions and produced seven of the season’s quickest 11 performances.
Both athletes will pick up cheques for $100,000 besides the award.
- Bolt, Blake make shortlist for Athlete-of-the-Year award - Nov 05, 2011
- Bolt disqualified for false start in 100m in Daegu; Blake wins - Aug 28, 2011
- World atheletics: Jamaican quartet claim 4x100 relay record - Sep 05, 2011
- James, Bolt in running for World Athlete of the Year award - Oct 04, 2011
- Blake pips Usain Bolt for Jamaica's top athlete award - Dec 10, 2011
- Bolt to lead Jamaican charge at World Championships - Aug 17, 2011
- Bolt's peerless victory in Zagreb 100 metres - Sep 14, 2011
- Tired Bolt eyes world-leading time in Brussels - Sep 16, 2011
- Olympic champion Bolt starts season with home event - Apr 18, 2012
- Powell issues warning to Bolt by winning in Hungary - Jul 31, 2011
- World Champion Cheruiyot says will not rest on laurels in 2012 - Feb 09, 2012
- Asafa Powell says he is favourite to win World title - Aug 25, 2011
- World Athletics: 'Disappointed' Bolt now eyes win in 200m - Aug 29, 2011
- Blake clocks this year's fastest 100m - Apr 16, 2012
- No changing false-start rule, says world athletics body - Sep 05, 2011
Tags: 19 years, athlete, bolt, cheques, compatriot, competitions, daegu, fastest time, hurdles, iaaf, metre champion, new world record, oceania, sally pearson, south korea, sprinter, third time, time in history, world championships, world record time