Male Athlete of the year shortlist announced

G-Money

Personally, I'm hoping Rudisha wins.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/athletics/20206201

walshb

High Hurdler Merrit had a hell of a season. May just get my vote.

shels4ever

walshb wrote: »

High Hurdler Merrit had a hell of a season. May just get my vote.

When I see your post I was expecting it to be Lance, But 100% agree Merrit should get this.

Pisco Sour

It has to be Rudisha. Running a world record in an Olympic final, without the aid of a pacemaker, in a distance where in this day and age you never see world records without one. This trumps what Merritt achieved IMO. No doubt the award will go to Bolt though as a nice publicity stunt! Him winning it last season was an utter joke.

Dan man

It has to be Rudisha for me too.... I'll never forget that race in the Olympic final, absolutely sensational run. Highlight of the athletics year for me.

Pisco Sour

Women's nominees are Felix, Ennis and Val Adams. A bit surprised Pearson didn't get nominated. She had a near flawless year again, but of the 3 nominated it has to surely go to Felix. Olympic Gold and a 21.69, and that's just the 200m, before we even get talking about the 100m, 4x100m and 4x400m (where she ran a ridiculous split!).

Rudisha and Felix for me.

walshb

Although I may go with Merrit, I think Bolt winning would be just as deserveing, as well as Rudisha. Bolt doing the double/treble is really astonishing. I also think that Bolt's comp level is that bit stronger than Rudisha's. Blake and Gatlin and Gay.

ecoli

walshb wrote: »

Although I may go with Merrit, I think Bolt winning would be just as deserveing, as well as Rudisha. Bolt doing the double/treble is really astonishing. I also think that Bolt's comp level is that bit stronger than Rudisha's. Blake and Gatlin and Gay.

I dunno about that this was the fastest 800m final ever ran the whole way down (Osagie's 8th place in 1.43 as well as 7 of the 8 men set PBs and a WR and WJR)

I think this years competion is possibly the deepest in a good while which is evident went you see a double Olmpic Champion not make the shortlist for top 3

Personally I would put it between Merrit and Rudisha simply for utterly dominant seasons as well as Olympic Gold and a WR they had pretty much near perfect seasons competitng at the top of there game almost consistentl however Bolt came good when it mattered so I can see why he would be up there

Seres

Rudisha for sure , hard to decide for the women , Ennis or Felix

Itziger

Rudisha and Felix. Gotta love Felix, in so many ways.

robinph

Got to be Rudisha for just being the greatest pacemaker ever.

breffni blue

Rudisha gets my vote..

endswell

Seres wrote: »

Rudisha for sure , hard to decide for the women , Ennis or Felix

jessica ennis for everything

zymar

rudisha & felix for me

ecoli

Bolt and Felix take home the prizes:

http://abcnews.go.com/Sports/wireStory/bolt-felix-named-iaaf-world-athletes-year-17798996#.ULEZCGXNfft

Pisco Sour

ecoli wrote: »

Bolt and Felix take home the prizes:

http://abcnews.go.com/Sports/wireStory/bolt-felix-named-iaaf-world-athletes-year-17798996#.ULEZCGXNfft

Absolute joke. This prize has no credibility anymore. It's just a publicity stunt for the IAAF. That's the second year in a row now Rudisha has been overlooked.

How on earth are these awards decided exactly?

YFlyer

Surely you're not undermining what Bolt has achieved?

http://www.sportsnewsarena.com/?Rudisha-picks-male-performance-award-Bolt-crowned-Athlete-of-the-Year.html

Both Rudisha and Meritt also hold imposing individual world records in their respective distances. “All three of us did something special this year. I broke the world 800m record at an Olympics without pacemakers, which was special.Usain Bolt won three gold medals with a world record in the 4x100m and to repeat what he did to win the Olympics is a special achievement. Merritt did very well in the 110m Hurdles,” said Rudisha.

Ultimately the defeat to Ethiopian Mohammed Aman in his final season race in Zurich that he denied him the Diamond league race win weighed down on Rudisha’s chances of picking his second IAAF athlete of the year after his 2010 win.

Pisco Sour

YFlyer wrote: »

Surely you're not undermining what Bolt has achieved?

http://www.sportsnewsarena.com/?Rudisha-picks-male-performance-award-Bolt-crowned-Athlete-of-the-Year.html

Both Rudisha and Meritt also hold imposing individual world records in their respective distances. “All three of us did something special this year. I broke the world 800m record at an Olympics without pacemakers, which was special.Usain Bolt won three gold medals with a world record in the 4x100m and to repeat what he did to win the Olympics is a special achievement. Merritt did very well in the 110m Hurdles,” said Rudisha.

Ultimately the defeat to Ethiopian Mohammed Aman in his final season race in Zurich that he denied him the Diamond league race win weighed down on Rudisha’s chances of picking his second IAAF athlete of the year after his 2010 win.

Lots of flaws:

- Far easier for a short sprinter to clock up 3 gold medals than an 800m runner who essentially gets one shot at gold
- Far easier for a sprinter to break a WR in championship competition than an 800m runner
- Rudisha lost a race, big deal. Bolt lost 2 races in the Jamaican championships.
- Bolt didn't surpass his previous efforts. Rudisha did.
- While I agree that Bolt had a super year in 2012, there is no doubt this is a publicity stunt. The fact he won the award in 2011, when he shouldn't have even been nominated says everything.

Rudisha's performance was one of the greatest in the history of the sport IMO. But the masses know who Bolt is, and anything with Bolt in the headline generates publicity. I will remain cynical.

MrCreosote

It's "Athlete of the Year", not "Performance of the Year". Bolt should win for generalised awesomeness.

Pisco Sour

MrCreosote wrote: »

It's "Athlete of the Year", not "Performance of the Year". Bolt should win for generalised awesomeness.

Maybe when he and Blake stop tip-toeing around and avoid each other at every single Diamond League meet I might agree with you. Yes he's great for the sport, but he's not the only athlete who has achieved immense things, and he was not the greatest athlete of 2012. Sure even look back at the predictions on this thread. Not many said Bolt.

walshb

I can't see how Bolt winning is off or wrong. One may not pick him but he was right up there with a chance. Look at what he achieved in London? It's Olympic year. That factored so heavily. He did the treble. Rudisha was also right up there, as was Merrit.

Pisco Sour

walshb wrote: »

I can't see how Bolt winning is off or wrong. One may not pick him but he was right up there with a chance. Look at what he achieved in London? It's Olympic year. That factored so heavily. He did the treble. Rudisha was also right up there, as was Merrit.

Did Bolt deserve to win last year? A false start in the 100, and a world gold in a time well off his world record (19.40). Very good year yes, but I could mention about 5-6 who had a more remarkable 2011. That's my point. This award is just a publicity exercise for the IAAF. There is no way he should have won last year (nor this year IMO). The award lost a bit of credibility last year and that has only been reinforced once again.

Anyway, I'm sure Rudisha wont lose a nights sleep over it.

ecoli

Personally I dont agree with the choice however there is merit behind the choice. You cant forget that his Olympic performances made him the first man in history to successfully defend the sprint double so while they were not world record performances like the other two this year he still did very much re write the history books

Pisco Sour

ecoli wrote: »

Personally I dont agree with the choice however there is merit behind the choice. You cant forget that his Olympic performances made him the first man in history to successfully defend the sprint double so while they were not world record performances like the other two this year he still did very much re write the history books

It's Performance of the YEAR. What he has achieved in prior years should have no bearing on it really. It should be fully about 2012.

ecoli

Pisco Sour wrote: »

It's Performance of the YEAR. What he has achieved in prior years should have no bearing on it really. It should be fully about 2012.

Performance of the year was a different award, which Rudisha won

Bolt won the athlete award So overcoming the greatest 100m field in history, coming back from double losses at Jamaican trials and having the mental strength when he was no longer seen as invincible by others. I am just saying these are factors.

Again I dont agree with it but to say its a joke is a little bit of a blinkered view

Pisco Sour

ecoli wrote: »

Performance of the year was a different award, which Rudisha won

Bolt won the athlete award So overcoming the greatest 100m field in history, coming back from double losses at Jamaican trials and having the mental strength when he was no longer seen as invincible by others. I am just saying these are factors.

Again I dont agree with it but to say its a joke is a little bit of a blinkered view

I guess I can't look past the fact he was given the award last year. Had Rudisha won it last year (he deserved it more than Bolt did, as did Farah and a few others) then I could have looked past this decision. But Bolt winning this almost every year just stinks of something a bit more cynical.

MrCreosote

Last year was a poor decision- Rudisha should have been a shoe-in.

This year it was much closer.

Part of it I'm sure is the IAAF looking after their brand- might well have been what swung it for Bolt this year.

walshb

Pisco Sour wrote: »

Did Bolt deserve to win last year?.

It's 2012 I am speaking about, as I assume others are too. Awarding Bolt the 2012 award is far from a joke. Rudisha was a very strong candidate. Bolt was too.

walshb

As good as Rudisha was he is number three for me. I cannot put him ahead of the superb and dominant Merrit, who probably deserevd the nod. His discipline being so technical as well. Practically unbeaten, greta oppsoition, gold, and a great WR.

Pisco Sour

walshb wrote: »

Practically unbeaten,

Check

walshb wrote: »

greta oppsoition,

Everyone sub 1:44. Check

walshb wrote: »

gold,

Check

walshb wrote: »

and a great WR.

Check

walshb

Yes, he checks out. So does Merrit.

So, it's down to them being so close, a personal pick.

I would add that technically Merrit competes in a tougher discipline.

YFlyer

Pisco Sour wrote: »

Did Bolt deserve to win last year? A false start in the 100, and a world gold in a time well off his world record (19.40). Very good year yes, but I could mention about 5-6 who had a more remarkable 2011. That's my point. This award is just a publicity exercise for the IAAF. There is no way he should have won last year (nor this year IMO). The award lost a bit of credibility last year and that has only been reinforced once again.

Anyway, I'm sure Rudisha wont lose a nights sleep over it.

Yes I agree with you in relation to Bolt winning in 2011.