Anthony Foster, Freelance Writer

United States runner Sanya Richards (left) and Jamaican sprinter Asafa Powell pose with their 'Athlete of the Year' trophies during the World Athletics Gala in Monte Carlo yesterday. - Reuters

MONTE CARLO, Monaco:

World 100m record holder Asafa Powell and Jamaican-born American 400-metre runner Sanya Richards were named World Athletes of the Year by the IAAF yesterday.

Powell, the first Jamaican male to win the prestigious award, achieved the feat for some phenonemal performances in a year when he twice equalled his world record of 9.77 seconds in the 100 metres, whereas Richards was rewarded for an outstanding season, which saw her breaking the 23-year-old American 400m record, held by Valrie Brisco-Hooks ( 48.83).

Both winners received US$100,000 along with trophies at the 2006 World Athletics Gala in the Salle des Etoiles of the Sporting Club d'Et, Monte-Carlo.

In announcing the winners at a press conference at the Fairmont Hotel in Monte-Carlo, IAAF president Lamine Diack congratulated both athletes.

"You both fully deserve your honours after dominating your events all season, but most importantly, you are both in your early 20s and have personalities and educational backgrounds to serve as role models to young people all over the world," he told the winners.

Powell was thrilled with his honour. "It's a great feeling," was how the soft-spoken sprinter reacted after being named Male Athlete of the Year.

Recognition

"To accomplish this shows that people recognise what I have done," added the man who first set the World Record in June 2005 in Athens, Greece, but then equalled it on June 11 at the British Grand Prix in Gateshead, England, last year and again on August 18 at the Weltklasse Meeting in Zurich, Switzerland.

Powell, who defeated the challenge of Lithuanian discus thrower Virgilijus Alekna - the two-time World and Olympic champion - and hurdler Liu Xiang of China, said this award means a lot for Jamaica.

"It means a lot for Jamaica and everyone who supported me," he said. "It's more motivation for me to come back better next year," said the man who ran a record 12-sub-10 second times over 100 metres in 2006.

Though he would have preferred his countrywoman Sherone Simpson - who along with Ethiopian distance runner Meseret Defar, the Olympic champion in 5,000 metres, was in line for the female award - to win Powell said:

"I wish Sherone would be up there with me, but to be there with Sanya is the same, because she is a Jamaican."

Richards, who left Jamaica at age 12 for the United States, was overwhelmed with her award.

"I am very, very excited," said Richards, who broke the American record in her last outing - the World Cup in Athens by running 48.70.

"I started the year and I remembered when I was on the circuit last year and (Yelena) Isinbayeva (of Russia) won it and I thought, man it would be so hard to beat her because she keeps breaking the World Record. And the way the system works, it's points, and when you break a World Record you get additional points, and with my World Record being so far out of reach, I didn't think I would be able to do it," said Richards, the Olympic Games mile relay gold medallist, who was accompanied by her mom.

Coached by Clyde Hart, the man who conditioned American 'Superman' Michael Johnson and now Jeremy Wairner, Richards, who aims for the 200m-400m doubleat the next Olympics in Beijing 2008, was even happier that another Jamaican was named Male Athlete of the Year.

"To have done it and to be sharing the stage with Asafa Powell, who I think is not only a great athlete, but a great person, is just an amazing accomplishment for me, and I am really, really, excited about it."

Richards aims to repeat as a winner next year.

"A lot of the winners are not repeat winners and that is something I want to do, I want to be a repeat winner," the former Immaculate High and Vaz Prep athlete told The Gleaner.

"I had a phenomenal year. After last year (2005) and not winning the World Championships I wanted to make sure that I didn't only end up ranked number one, but I ended up number one and unbeaten, so I worked really, really hard," she explained.

"I wanted to ensure that every time I step on the track I was ready to win and so that's how I designed the season and I am so happy that I ended up winning the jackpot and breaking the American record, and now getting this award," she added.

Simpson was also beaten for the Performance of the Year award, which went to Meseret Defar (ETH) for breaking the 5000m World Record in New York City.

The men's Performer of the Year award went China's Xiang for running 12.88 at the IAAF Super Grand Prix in Lausanne to become the outright holder of the 110m hurdles World Record.

Other awards: Margus Hunt of Estonia collected the Rasing Star award, while Ethiopian Woldemeskel Kostre was named Coach of the Year. Three-time Male Athlete of the Year Hicham El Guerrouj of Maraca, Stefka Kostadinova of Belgium and Jan Zelezny of Czech Republic were all presented with Distinguished Career Awards.

Prince Albert II (left) of Monaco applauds Jamaican sprinter Asafa Powell after he received the Male Athlete of the Year award during the World Athletics Gala in Monte Carlo yesterday. - Reuters