Ashton Eaton Upset Bolt For The Male World Athlete of the Year

Ashton Eaton Upset Bolt For The Male World Athlete of the Year

 

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Jamaica’s global sprint king Usain Bolt was beaten by American Ashton Eaton on Thursday for the male IAAF World Athlete of the Year for 2015.

Bolt was not selected despite winning three gold medals at the IAAF World Championships in Beijing 2015.

The 29-year-old Bolt successfully defended his 100m, 200m and 4x100m titles in Beijing.

Bolt, Eaton and Christian Taylor, also from the USA, were shortlisted for the award.

Ethiopia’s Genzebe Dibaba won the female award.

Eaton and Dibaba set world records during 2015. Eaton in the decathlon and Dibaba in the 1500m.

Both athletes won gold medals in the events at the World Championships.

Eaton became the first decathlete to win the male World Athlete of the Year award after his spectacular performance in the Chinese capital, his only decathlon of the year, when he set a world record of 9045 and improved his own three-year-old mark by nine points.

Notable among his individual events in Beijing was a 45.00 400m at the end of the first day, the fastest one lap of the track ever run within a decathlon.

Dibaba, after setting a world indoor 5000m record of 14:18.86, was then unbeaten in her five 1500m races during the summer.

Firstly, she ran an African record of 3:54.11 in Barcelona, the fastest time in the world for almost 12 years, and then topped that with a stunning world record of 3:50.07 in Monaco to beat a mark that had been on the books since 1993.

In Beijing, Dibaba was majestic through all three rounds of the 1500m, winning every race comfortably, and she also took a 5000m bronze medal.

“I am humbled and honoured to receive this award from the IAAF,” said Dibaba. “It feels so good to be the World Athlete of the Year.

“After being a finalist and narrowly missing out on this award one year ago, I am very proud to be recognised by the fans and experts of our sport.

“I had a great season and truly enjoyed competing around the world, from Monaco where I managed to establish a world record, to Beijing where I finally captured my first world outdoor title.

“I would like to pay tribute to Dafne Schippers and Anita Wlodarczyk who have been incredible all year round. Maybe your time will come next year.”