MONTE-CARLO – During the celebrations of the World Athletics Gala hosted by International Athletic Foundation (IAF) Jamaica’s Asafa Powell won “Performance of the Year” for his 100m world record run of 9.74 among all male athletes in 2007.
American Tyson Gay and Ethiopia’s 23-year-old Meseret Defar were crowned as the male and female World Athletes of the Year.
A three-time World champion Tyson Gay, the 2007 Male World Athlete of the Year commented, “To follow in Carl Lewis’s footsteps (the first winner of the IAF Athlete of the Year) is just a great honor.
“I think for this year (winning the World Championships) makes me the fastest man in the world, but I honestly think that I need to have the World record like some of the other great sprinters like Carl Lewis, Maurice Greene. I think that sets you apart, having medals and having the world record.”
The Female 2007 Performance of the Year award was presented to Blanka Vlasic for her 2.07m third all-time best clearance in Stockholm.
2007 World Athletics Gala Awards
World Athletes of the Year
Male Winner: Tyson Gay USA
Female Winner: Meseret Defar ETH
Asafa Powell
Performances of the Year
Male Winner Asafa Powell JAM
Female Winner Blanka Vlasic CRO
Hero of Athletics Award
Carl Lewis USA
Inspirational Award
Paula Radcliffe GBR
Haile Gebrselassie ETH
Newcomer of the Year
Donald Thomas BAH
Rising Star Award
Ruth Bisibori Nyangau KEN
Coaches’ Award
Vitaly Petrov UKR
