The blistering performances of Blessing Okagbare in the 2014 athletics season was still not able to earn her a place in the awards list final shortlist as the governing body the IAAF named the 10 men and 10 women for the 2014 World Athlete of the Year Award.
Okagbare who painted the athletics landscape with gold at the Commonwealth Games as well as appreciable and ground shaking showings at the prestigious IAAF Diamond this season was left out of the nominations.
IAAF in a statement said, “the candidates have been selected by an international panel of athletics experts which include representatives from all six continental areas of the IAAF.
An email poll involving the World Athletics Family started on Friday 3 October, and will close on Thursday 16 October, midnight.
At the conclusion of the voting process, three male and three female finalists will be selected and announced by the IAAF, the statement added”
The Council of the International Athletics Foundation will then select the male and female winners, with the announcement taking place live on stage during the 2014 World Athletics Gala on Friday 21 November 2014.
The candidates for the World Athlete of the Year Award are ; Men: Nigel Amos (BOT), Mutaz Essa Barshim (QAT), Jairus Kipchoge Birech (KEN), Bogdan Bondarenko (UKR), Yohann Diniz (FRA), Justin Gatlin (USA), Robert Harting (GER), Dennis Kipruto Kimetto (KEN), Renaud Lavillenie (FRA) and LaShawn Merritt (USA)
Women: Valerie Adams (NZL), Genzebe Dibaba (ETH), Dawn Harper Nelson (USA), Caterine Ibarguen (COL), Francena McCorory (USA), Sandra Perkovic (CRO), Dafne Schippers (NED), Kaliese Spencer (JAM), Barbora Spotakova (CZE) and Anita Wlodarczyk (POL).
