Caster, Wayde up for top IAAF awards

Cape Town - Wayde van Niekerk and Caster Semenya have been nominated for the 2016 World Athlete of the Year following their heroics at the Rio Olympics. 

Van Niekerk smashed Michael Johnson's world record in the 400m while Semenya dominated the field in the 800m as Team South Africa celebrated their only two gold medals at the Games. 

According to the IAAF website, Van Niekerk has been nominated alongside treble Rio winner, Jamaica's Usain Bolt, as well as English middle/long-distance sensation, Mo Farah.

This week marks the opening of the voting process ahead of the IAAF Awards Night in Monaco on Friday, December 2.

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. 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.

The IAAF Family includes 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.

Voting closes on November 1.

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 at the IAAF Awards Night.

The nominees for 2016 World Athlete of the Year are:

Men

Usain Bolt (JAM)
Thiago Braz da Silva (BRA)
Ashton Eaton (USA)
Mo Farah (GBR)
Eliud Kipchoge (KEN)
Conseslus Kipruto (KEN)
Omar McLeod (JAM)
David Rudisha (KEN)
Christian Taylor (USA)
Wayde van Niekerk (RSA)

Women

Almaz Ayana (ETH)
Ruth Beitia (ESP)
Vivian Cheruiyot (KEN)
Kendra Harrison (USA)
Caterine Ibarguen (COL)
Ruth Jebet (BRN)
Sandra Perkovic (CRO)
Caster Semenya (RSA)
Elaine Thompson (JAM)
Anita Wlodarczyk (POL)

The 2016 Female World Athlete of the Year nominees have been announced.

Here is the full list: https://t.co/lLjXBnrv0J pic.twitter.com/DPIxuMOSrs

— IAAF (@iaaforg) October 18, 2016

The 2016 Male World Athlete of the Year nominees have been announced.

Here is the full list: https://t.co/lLjXBnrv0J pic.twitter.com/r5ug35wuR7

— IAAF (@iaaforg) October 18, 2016