Bolt, Richards win athletes of the year

Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt, who became one of the world’s most recognized athlete, and Jamaican-born American women’s 400-metre world champion Sanya Richards were named International Association of Athletics Federations world athletes of the year yesterday.



Both athletes won the award for the second time.



Bolt retained the honour for winning the 100 and 200-metre finals in world and record times at the World Championships in Berlin, matching his sprint double at the Beijing Olympics.



He also won a third gold in the 4 by 100-metre relay in Berlin and beat five thousand and 10 thousand-metre winner Kenenisa Bekele, pole vaulter Steven Hooker and Norwegian javelin thrower Andreas Thorkildsen to the honour.



Richards, the 2006 winner, won her first individual gold medal at a major championships in Berlin. She also won at all six Golden League meeting in Europe to claim a share of the US$1million jackpot offered to athletes who swept their event.



Also up for the women’s award were shot putter Valerie Vili, high jumper Blanka Vlasic, hammer thrower Anita Wlodarczyk and pole vaulter Yelena Isinbayeva.