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Track & Field News
Athletes of the Year

History

Track and Field News began presenting this award to the world's outstanding male athlete in 1959. The women's award was added in 1974.

A panel of international track and field experts selects the winners.

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Winners

Men

Year Winner, CountryEvent
1959Martin Lauer, W. Germany110H/Decathlon
1960Rafer Johnson, USADecathlon
1961Ralph Boston, USALong Jump/110 Hurdles
1962Peter Snell, New Zealand800/1500
1963C.K. Yang, TaiwanDecathlon/Pole Vault
1964Peter Snell, New Zealand800/1500
1965Ron Clarke, Australia5000/10,000
1966Jim Ryun, USA800/1500
1967Jim Ryun, USA1500
1968Bob Beamon, USALong Jump
1969Bill Toomey, USADecathlon
1970Randy Matson, USAShot Put
1971Rod Milburn, USA110 Hurdles
1972Lasse Viren, Finland5000/10,000
1973Ben Jipcho, Kenya1500/5000/Steeplechase
1974Rick Wohlhuter, USA800/1500
1975John Walker, New Zealand800/1500
1976Alberto Juantorena, Cuba400/800
1977Alberto Juantorena, Cuba400/800
1978Henry Rono, Kenya5000/10,000/Steeplechase
1979Sebastian Coe, Great Britain800/1500
1980Edwin Moses, USA400 Hurdles
1981Sebastian Coe, Great Britain800/1500
1982Carl Lewis, USA100/200/Long Jump
1983Carl Lewis, USA100/200/Long Jump
1984Carl Lewis, USA100/200/Long Jump
1985Said Aouita, Morocco1500/5000
1986Yuri Sedykh, USSRHammer Throw
1987Ben Johnson, Canada100
1988Sergey Bubka, USSRPole Vault
1989Roger Kingdom, USA110 Hurdles
1990Michael Johnson, USA200/400
1991Sergey Bubka, USSRPole Vault
1992Kevin Young, USA400 Hurdles
1993Noureddine Morceli, AlgeriaMile/1500/3000
1994Noureddine Morceli, AlgeriaMile/1500/3000
1995Haile Gebrselassie, Ethopia5000/10,000
1996Michael Johnson, USA200/400
1997Wilson Kipketer, Denmark800
1998Haile Gebrselassie, Ethopia3000/5000/10,000
1999Hicham El Guerrouj, MoroccoMile/1500
2000Virgilius Alekna, LithuaniaDiscus
2001Hicham El Guerrouj, MoroccoMile/1500
2002Hicham El Guerrouj, MoroccoMile/1500
2003Hicham El Guerrouj, MoroccoMile/1500/3000
2004Kenenisa Bekele, Ethiopia5000/10,000
2005Kenenisa Bekele, Ethiopia5000/10,000
2006Asafa Powell, Jamaica100/200

Women

Year Winner, CountryEvent
1974Irena Szewinska, Poland100/200/400
1975Faina Melnik, USSRShot Put/Discus
1976Tatiana Kazankina, USSR800/1500
1977Rosemarie Ackermann, E. GermanyHigh Jump
1978Marita Koch, E. Germany100/200/400
1979Marita Koch, E. Germany100/200/400
1980Ilona Briesenick, E. GermanyShot Put
1981Evelyn Ashford, USA100/200
1982Marita Koch, E. Germany100/200/400
1983Jarmila Kratochvilova, Czech200/400/800
1984Evelyn Ashford, USA100
1985Marita Koch, E. Germany100/200/400
1986Jackie Joyner-Kersee, USAHeptathlon/Long Jump
1987Jackie Joyner-Kersee, USA100H/Heptathlon/LJ
1988Florence Griffith Joyner, USA100/200
1989Ana Quirot, Cuba400/800
1990Merlene Ottey, Jamaica100/200
1991Heike Henkel, GermanyHigh Jump
1992Heike Drechsler, GermanyLong Jump
1993Wang Junxia, China1500/3000/10,000
1994Jackie Joyner-Kersee, USA100H/Heptathlon/LJ
1995Sonia O'Sullivan, Ireland1500/3000/5000
1996Svetlana Masterkova, Russia800/1500
1997Marion Jones, USA100/200
1998Marion Jones, USA100/200/LJ
1999Gabriela Szabo, Romania3000/5000
2000Marion Jones, USA100/200/LJ
2001Stacy Dragila, USAPole Vault
2002Paula Radcliffe, Great Britain3000/5000/10000/Mar
2003Hestrie Cloete, South AfricaHigh Jump
2004Yelena Isinbayeva, RussiaPole Vault
2005Yelena Isinbayeva, RussiaPole Vault
2006Sanya Richards, United States400

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This page last updated Saturday, 19-Apr-2008 17:25:32 PDT
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