Usain Bolt, Justin Gatlin left out of nominees for World Athlete of the Year awards

New Delhi: Eight-time Olympic gold medallist, 11 golds at World Championships, and still the reigning world record holder in 100m and 200m sprints. Words fall short to describe the fastest man on earth, yet utter dejection seems to stick to his side over the last few months with the latest being his exclusion from the IAAF World Athlete of the Year award, despite being its recipient six times. Adding to it, even his on-track rival Justin Gatlin failed to find his name on the list.

After ruling the track for over nine years, Jamaican towering athlete, Bolt, announced that 2017 London World Championships would be his last and final sprint of his career. Reaching the finals of the 100m, all eyes rested on the one man, and one man only – Usain Bolt. Yet much to the dismay, leaving the world in absolute awe, Bolt finished third, for the first time at Worlds.

Hoping that things would at least wind up well and partly glittery, Bolt headed in for the 4x100 m relay – the final race of his career. And as none, probably even Bolt, wouldn't have expected, the athlete was struck down by a hamstring pull. It surely wasn't the best adieu that the greatest athlete of all time would face, but Bolt left London in tears...so did his fans.

Sifting to Gatlin, the one who stole the thunder in Bolt's final 100m race was also denied of featuring on the list of nominees for the IAAF's World Athlete of the Year awards. Well, prior to the London Worlds, the American athlete had served two dope bans. Actually, it wasn't a surprise in Gatlin's case as IAAF's new rule says that athletes serving or having served dope bans will be excluded from the list.

Those on the men's list include Britain's 10,000m world champion Mo Farah and South Africa's 400m athlete Wayde van Niekerk.

Nominees:

Men: Mutaz Essa Barshim (QAT) high jump; Pawel Fajdek (POL) hammer; Mo Farah (GBR) 10,000m; Sam Kendricks (USA) pole vault; Elijah Manangoi (KEN) 1,500m; Luvo Manyonga (RSA) long jump; Omar McLeod (JAM) 110m hurdles; Christian Taylor (USA) triple jump; Wayde van Niekerk (RSA) 400m; Johannes Vetter (GER) javelin.

Women: Almaz Ayana (ETH) 10,000m; Maria Lasitskene (RUS - competing as a neutral) high jump; Hellen Obiri (KEN) 5,000m; Sally Pearson (AUS) 100m hurdles; Sandra Perkovic (CRO) discus; Brittney Reese (USA) long jump; Caster Semenya (RSA) 800m; Ekaterini Stefanidi (GRE) pole vault; Nafissatou Thiam (BEL) heptathlon; Anita Wlodarczyk (POL) hammer.