More IAAF glitz for SA as Manyonga also cracks award nod

Long jumper Luvo Manyonga has joined compatriot Caster Semenya among the nominees for the 2018 International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) Awards.

Manyonga was included among 10 nominees for the Male World Athlete of the Year accolade on Tuesday, after Semenya had received a nomination for the Female World Athlete of the Year award on Monday, putting both South Africans in the running for worthy international recognition.

Though he settled for second place in the 2018 world rankings behind Cuban athlete Juan Miguel Echevarria with a season’s best of 8.58 metres, and he missed out on a place at the Continental Cup after settling for silver behind countryman Ruswahl Samaai at the African Championships, Manyonga enjoyed another superb season which included gold medals at the Commonwealth Games and the Diamond League final.

Other nominees for the men’s award were American sprinters Christian Coleman and Noah Lyles, Kenyan middle-distance runners Timothy Cheruiyot and Emmanuel Korir, Qatari 400m hurdler Abderrahman Samba, New Zealand shot put giant Tomas Walsh, French decathlete Kevin Mayer, Kenyan marathon runner Eliud Kipchoge and Swedish pole vault sensation Armand Duplantis.

The voting process would incorporate the IAAF council, its members and the public, with fans able to have their say on the global body’s social media platforms.

The voting window would close on November 13, after which five men and five women would be shortlisted among the finalists for the prestigious annual awards.

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