(Agencies)
Updated: 2007-11-06 10:47

LONDON - World 100 and 200 metres champion Tyson Gay is one of three finalists in the running for the International Association of Athletics Federation's (IAAF) male athlete of the year award.

Tyson Gay

American Gay, who also won gold in the 4x100 relay at the world championships in Osaka, is joined by Ethiopian Haile Gebrselassie and China's Liu Xiang.

Gebrselassie set a marathon world record in Berlin in September while Liu became China's first male track world champion with victory in the 110 hurdles.

Distance runner Meseret Defar, heptathlete Carolina Kluft and high jumper Blanka Vlasic are the nominees for the women's award.

Liu Xiang

In a triumphant season, Ethiopia's Defar smashed her own 5,000 world record, took gold over the distance in Osaka and twice set a world best for two miles.

Swede Kluft extended her unbeaten streak in the heptathlon to 19 competitions, securing her third world title with a European record.

Vlasic, who has already been voted Europe's female athlete of 2007, became Croatia's first world championship medallist with gold in Japan and won all but one of her 19 outdoor competitions.

Haile Gebrselassie

The winners will be announced at the World Athletics Gala in Monaco on November 25.

Following the survey of the IAAF Family and the votes of the Internet fans, the IAAF has selected the three male and three female finalists who are still in the running to become the 2007 World Athlete of the Year.

 

Finalists are: (in alphabetical order)

Men

Tyson Gay USA

Haile Gebrselassie ETH

Liu Xiang CHN

Women

Meseret Defar ETH

Carolina Klüft SWE

Blanka Vlasic CRO