THE PRELIMINARY list from which the IAAF male and female Athletes of the Year 2007 will be chosen from next month is finalised, but one particular name is missing, especially where Jamaica is concerned.

From the shortlist of men and women candidates, members of the IAAF 'family' are asked to chose one man and one woman who they think deserve to be presented with the World Athlete of the Year Award.

There will also be a vote open to the general public on the IAAF website and the results will be weighed in the following way: IAAF Family Vote - 70 per cent, Internet vote - 30 per cent. After a merge of all the votes, the three male and three female athletes with most points from the following lists will be selected to travel to Monaco for the awards ceremony on November 25.

Men: Kenenisa Bekele (Ethiopia), Tyson Gay (U.S.), Haile Gebrselassie (Ethiopia), Reese Hoffa (U.S.), Bernard Lagat (U.S.), Tero PitkSmSki (Finland), Asafa Powell (Jamaica), Irving Saladino (Panama), Zersenay Tadese (Eritrea), Jeremy Wariner (U.S.), Liu Xiang (China).

Women: Meseret Defar (Ethiopia), Allyson Felix (U.S.), Yelena Isinbayeva (Russia), Maryam Yusuf Jamal (Bahrain), Janeth Jepkosgei ( Kenya), Lornah Kiplagat (Netherland), Carolina Kift (Sweden), Tatyana Lebedeva (Russia), Sanya Richards (U.S.), Valerie Vili (New Zealand) and Blanka Vlasic (Croatia) will be selected to travel to Monaco. The vote closes next Wednesday, but where is Veronica Campbell's name? Her absence is surprising, not only because she won the World Championships 100m in Osaka, but because of her consistency on the circuit this season.

Some may ask who could be left out to accommodate Campbell? But that's not too difficult or, maybe I should say, it's very easy.

Richards

Without researching or pondering over the nominees, Richards should not be included over Campbell as she has only a share of the US$1 million jackpot to show this season.

A Jamaican by birth, Richards, who won the title last year, has not done anything extraordinary this year for her to be included. She did not make the U.S. 400m team; yes, maybe she was not a 100 per cent but the fact that she did not win an individual medal at the World Championships strengthens my position.

Richards (49.72) was also beaten by Allyson Felix (49.70) in Stockholm, Sweden, and, despite the fact that she ended the season with the five fastest times over 400m - 49.27 (twice), 49.29, 49.36, 49.52, she should not have been chosen ahead of Campbell.

In the short sprint, Campbell not only ended with the fastest time of 10.89 but four of the top five best times (10.90, 10.91, 10.93), separated only by Torri Edwards who ran 10.90 to beat her in California in May.

Fairly good season

Campbell has also had a fairly good season over the half-lap event where she was beaten only twice; in Osaka where she finished in 22.34 behind Felix (21.81) and third in Sheffield (22.60) behind Richards (22.44) and Felix (22.35).

Again, in a World Champion-ships year, Campbell, with gold in the women's 100m and silvers in the 200m and 4x100m relay in Osaka, should have been included over Richards who just has her Golden League prize money to show for the year.

In closing, Powell, who broke the world 100m record by running 9.74 in September, Gebrselassie, who broke the world one-hour and 20km marks at the Golden Spike Grand Prix and Gay, the sprint double champion from Osaka, should be the final three men.

With no Campbell, it's close going for the women's race.

Anthony.foster@gleanerjm.com