Wayde misses out on top IAAF award
MONACO – Usain Bolt's undefeated season is enough to secure the IAAF Male World Athlete of the Year award ahead of Wayde van Niekerk.
South African runner Wayde van Niekerk (24) did not do enough to win the IAAF Male World Athlete of the Year award, which was presented to Jamaican sprinter, Usain Bolt, in Monaco on 2 December.
Thank you all!!!! Honoured to be your @iaaforg Athlete Of The Year #Blessed #Humbled
— Usain St. Leo Bolt (@usainbolt) December 2, 2016
Van Niekerk, world record holder and Olympic champion in the 400m event was a finalist for the award along with Bolt, and British distance runner, Mo Farah.
Bolt won the award for a record sixth time, having defended his Olympic titles in the 100m, 200m and four times 100m events at the Rio 2016 Olympics, taking his career tally to nine Olympic gold medals. He remained undefeated in all these distances this season.
Van Niekerk was awarded the Sports Star of the Year, and Sportsman of the Year awards at the SA Sports Awards in November, after beating Michael Johnson’s 400m world record at Rio, which had stood since 1999.
Van Niekerk ran from lane eight to finish in 43.03, beating the record by 0.15 seconds, setting the athletics world alight and making his a household name all over the world.
