Jamaican star sprinters Usain Bolt and Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce were both included in the 10-men and 10-women shortlist for the 2013 World Athlete of the Year Award, the world governing body of the sport announced.
"The IAAF is pleased to announce the names of the 10 men and 10 women who have been shortlisted for the 2013 World Athlete of the Year Award. The candidates have been selected by an IAAF panel of athletics experts," said the IAAF on its website Tuesday.
Though he could not set a new world record in 2013, Bolt still enjoyed a convincing dominance in the men's 100m and 200m events, claiming both titles at the World Championships in Moscow in August.
With Yohan Blake injured out and Asafa Powell tested positive before the World Championships, Bolt managed to pace the Jamaican 4X100m relay team to the top podium.
Fraser-Pryce also made her history in Moscow, becoming the first woman to win the treble of 100m, 200m and relay golds at Worlds.
The shortlist will be trimmed to three men and as many women following a voting process and the winner of the World Athlete of the Year Award will be announced during the World Athletics Gala Nov 16.
The candidates for the World Athlete of the Year Award are (athletes listed in alphabetical order):
Men:
Mohammed Aman, Ethiopia
Usain Bolt, Jamaica
Bohdan Bondarenko, Ukraine
Ashton Eaton, United States
Mohamed Farah, Britain
Robert Harting, Germany
Wilson Kipsang, Kenya
Aleksandr Menkov, Russia
LaShawn Merritt, United States
Teddy Tamgho, France
Women:
Valerie Adams, New Zealand
Abeba Aregawi, Sweden
Meseret Defar, Ethiopia
Tirunesh Dibaba, Ethiopia
Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, Jamaica
Zuzana Hejnova, Czech Repbulic
Caterine Ibarguen, Colombia
Sandra Perkovic, Croatia
Brianna Rollins, United States
Svetlana Shkolina, Russia