Former World Champs Weigh In On Bolt, SFP

Jamaican pair Usain Bolt and Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce may be favoured to walk away with the IAAF World male and female Athlete of the Year awards at today's gala here, but as far as several world champions are concerned, it may not go to plan for the sprinting superstars.

Retired sprinters Ato Boldon and Maurice Greene and sprint hurdler Allen Johnson all weighed in on the awards, which will be announced during the gala, which is set to start at 2 p.m. Jamaica time.

Bolt will go up against Mo Farah and Bohdan Bondarenko for the male award, while Fraser-Pryce's competition will come from Valerie Adams and Zuzana Hejnova.

Only two times have athletes from the same country won both awards in the same year, first in 1988 with Americans Carl Lewis and Florence Griffith-Joyner and again in 1993 with Great Britain's Colin Jackson and Sally Gunnell.

Greene, who won two Olympic and five world titles in the 100m, 200m and 4x100m relay, believes that British star Mo Farah and Fraser-Pryce should get the nod.

"It's tough for the male side," said Greene. "I think it was exciting what Mo Farah did so that was my pick."

Farah won World Championships gold in the 5000m and 10,000m and also broke the European record in the 1500m setting a new mark of 3:28.81.

"What Usain has done is great and you expect it, but what Mo Farah is doing; no one expected the European record. When someone does something like that in our sport it's a great thing. Having said that Usain is an incredible human being, we will not see another Usain for another 15 years probably," Greene added.

"For the women I am biased because I think what Shelly-Ann (Fraser-Pryce) did was tremendous and the type of year she had was just phenomenal, so I guess that's why I leaned a little more towards her," Greene said.

The 1997 200m World champion, Ato Boldon, is certain that both Jamaicans will walk away with the awards.

"There is a little question on the men's side because Usain wasn't the usual Usain, and I think he does have some very good competition from Bondarenko. I said in the stadium at the World Champs that if there was an award for best track and field athlete overall, it would go to Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, that's how good I think her performance was," Boldon said.

Allen Johnson, the 1999 Olympic 110m hurdles champion and four-time world champion, also thinks Bolt should win the male award, but while he is also willing to bet on Fraser-Pryce for the female prize, the American was more impressed with someone who is no longer in the running for the award, having missed out on making the top three after being named to the shortlist.

"I would actually go with Brianna Rollins on the women's side," said Johnson of the 100m hurdles World champion and 12.26 seconds sprinter. "But for those who are in the finals, I have to go with Shelly-Ann."

"On the men's side, I am going to go with Usain Bolt ... he is so good that whatever he does, when I see it I'm like 'Oh, ok, Bolt did that.' He could run 9.4 and I would be like 'Oh, ok,' because he is that good but if it's about the athlete of the year, I have to go with Usain," he added.

- André Lowe

MEN

Usain Bolt:

3 World Championships sprint gold medals (100m, 200m, 4x100m); won 10 out of 11 finals in 100m, 150m or 200m.

Bohdan Bondarenko:

World High Jump champion and Diamond Race winner; won 14 of 15 contests including the world's highest jump since 1994.

Mo Farah:

World champion at 5000m and 10,000m, European record at 1500m and unbeaten at 3000m.

WOMEN

Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce:

Three World Championships sprint gold medals and Diamond Race winner at 100m and 200m.

Valerie Adams:

World shot put champion and Diamond Race winner, unbeaten in 12 contests.

Zuzana Hejnova:

World 400m hurdles champion and Diamond Race winner; unbeaten in 11 finals.