Bolt eyes historic IAAF award
Andre Lowe
Jamaican sprinting royalty Usain Bolt inches closer to yet another
slice of history, as he eyes a historic fourth IAAF Male Athlete of the
Year (AOY) award at the IAAF Grand Gala and Awards Ceremony today.
 The IAAF is this year celebrating 100 years of existence, and though
never one who needed a real reason to party, Bolt is looking to make it
a big weekend at the glitzy affair in Barcelona, Spain.
Bolt has the company of Moroccan middle-distance legend Hicham El
Guerrouj as the only athletes with three such awards to their name.
El Guerrouj won his awards from 2001-2003, while Bolt's triumphs came
in 2008, 2009 and last year.
Today, though, the 26-year-old could secure another first. It will
not be an easy acquisition for the man who successfully defended his
Olympic 100m and 200m titles at the London Games a few months ago.
He will be up against it with the smooth-hurdling Aries Merritt and
the indomitable David Rudisha also in contention for one of the closest
IAAF Male AOY races in years.
Nonetheless, notwithstanding his only two losses - to training
partner Yohan Blake at the Jamaica Athletics Administrative
Association/Supreme Ventures National Senior Championships earlier this
year - this ranks as one of Bolt's best seasons since his campaign of
domination started in 2008.
The powerful sprinter followed up his London exploits, which also
included a blistering anchor leg - reportedly clocked at 8.70; matching
Asafa Powell's 2008 Beijing Olympic split - with top honours in the 100m
for the rich Samsung Diamond League series.
Individual world records
Both Meritt and Rudisha will take individual world records to the
table; Merritt's determined and season-long assault on the 110m hurdles
world record finally bearing dividends with a new mark of 12.80.
Replacing the old record of 12.87, Merritt's mark followed an amazing
eight sub-13 seconds clockings this year and tucks in nicely with his
Olympic, World Indoor and Diamond League titles. Jamaica-gleaner |
