IAAF President Lamine Diack (centre) poses with U.S. world champion Tyson Gay (right) and Ethiopia's world champion Meseret Defar before the annual global awards night for athletics in Monte Carlo, yesterday. Gay and Defar were awarded 'World Athlete of the Year' trophies by the International Athletic Foundation. - REUTERS
Monte Carlo, Monaco:
American sprinter Tyson Gay and Ethiopian distance runner Meseret Defar are the 2007 IAAF Male and Female Athletes of the Year.
The two, Gay, 25, and Defar, 23, the youngest female winner, were presented with their awards and US$100,000 at the IAAF World Athletics' Gala, held at the Salle des Etoiles of the Sporting Club d'eté, in Monte-Carlo, yesterday.
Gay, who won three gold - men's 100m, 200m and 4x100m relay in Osaka, adding to his seven out of eight 100m victories and four from as many starts in the 200m, was pleased with his award.
"I feel good," said Gay who beat Ethiopian distance runner Haile Gebrselassie and Chinese World and Olympic champion Liu Xiang, who were absent for the ceremony.
"I came here last year and two great athletes (Asafa Powell and Sanya Richards) won the awards, I had a very good year (2006), but was outdone by two world records by Asafa (Powell)," he added.
"For me to be awarded for the award this year, it feels great," added Gay, who ran sub-10 seconds five times over 100m this past season.
A great achievement
As for Defar, the first Ethiopian woman to win the award, it was a great achievement.
"I am very, very happy to get this award," said an excited Defar, who defeated the challenge of Swedish heptathlon athlete Carolina Kluft and Croatia's Blanka Vlasic for the award.
"This award is very special, not only for me, but for Ethiopian women, especially since I am the first woman from Ethiopia to win World Athlete of the Year."
Last season (2007), Defar, who was unbeaten in all outdoor and indoor races, won her first World Championships gold medal at 5000m in Osaka, adding to her 5000m world record and a world indoor 3000m record.
She had also set a two-mile world best.
"The year was very special for me," she continued. "In Paris I did not qualify and in Helsinki I was second, so it was a very special for me in Osaka."
