The Spanish María Pérez, double world champion in walking in 20 and 35 kilometers in Budapest, and the Venezuelan Yulimar Rojas, who revalidated her world crown in triple jump for the fourth time in the Hungarian city, are two of the eleven candidates for the award for the ‘Best Athlete of the Year’ by World Athletics.

The athletes have been selected by an international group of athletics experts made up of representatives from the six continental areas of World Athletics.

Who are the other nominees?

Along with María Pérez and Yulimar Rojas, the presence of the Ethiopian Tigist Assefa, winner of the Berlin marathon and world distance record holder, also stands out; the Dutch Femke Bol, 400 hurdles world champion; Jamaican Shericka Jackson, double 200m world champion and Kenyan Faith Kipyegon, 1,500m and 5,000m world champion.

Completing the list are the Japanese javelin thrower Haruka Kitaguchi, the Ukrainian high jumper Yaroslava Mahuchikh, the Ethiopian 10,000 meters world champion Gudaf Tsegay, the American Sha’Carri Richardson, 100 meters world champion and the Burundi runner Winfed Yavi , world champion of 3,000 hurdles.

World Athletics and professional athletes will cast their votes via email, while fans will be able to vote online through World Athletics’ social media platforms.

The vote of the World Athletics Council will count for fifty percent of the result, while the votes of the athletes and the public will each count for 25% of the final result.

Voting for the World Athletes of the Year closes at midnight on Saturday, October 28. Once the voting process is completed, five women and five men finalists will be announced by World Athletics on November 13 and 14.

The winners will be announced on December 11 on World Athletics social networks.