Wayde, Caster, Luvo up for top awards

Three South African athletes have been recognised for their spectacular efforts this season, after being nominated for the 2017 IAAF World Athlete of the Year awards.

Sprinter Wayde van Niekerk, long jumper Luvo Manyonga and middle-distance runner Caster Semenya, were named among 10 men and 10 women on Monday who were nominated for the prestigious accolades.

All three SA stars won world titles this year, with Van Niekerk and Semenya earning two medals each at the IAAF World Championships in London.

Van Niekerk (300m) and Semenya (600m) also set world best times over unofficial distances, while Manyonga produced the four best leaps in the world this season in his specialist discipline.

The IAAF Council and the IAAF Family (national federations) will cast their votes by email, while fans/public can vote online via the IAAF's social media platforms. Individual graphics for each nominee will be posted on IAAF’s Facebook and Twitter later this week; 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 16 October. 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 2017.

Nominees, 2017 IAAF World Athlete of the Year:

Men:

Mutaz Essa Barshim (QAT)

Pawel Fajdek (POL)

Mohamed Farah (GBR)

Sam Kendricks (USA)

Elijah Manangoi (KEN)

Luvo Manyonga (RSA)

Omar McLeod (JAM)

Christian Taylor (USA)

Wayde van Niekerk (RSA)

Johannes Vetter (GER).

Women:

Almaz Ayana (ETH)

Maria Lasitskene (ANA)

Hellen Obiri (KEN)

Sally Pearson (AUS)

Sandra Perkovic (CRO)

Brittney Reese (USA)

Caster Semenya (RSA)

Ekaterini Stefanidi (GRE)

Nafissatou Thiam (BEL)

Anita Wlodarczyk (POL).