ANKARA - Sureyya Ayhan, national athlete who became the European Champion in women's 1,500 metres, may be chosen as the best athlete of the year.
Ayhan has been ranked among the candidate best female athletes in the World Athletics Gala 2002.
The International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) will choose the best athletes of the year in the World Athletics Gala 2002 to be held in Monte Carlo on November 17.
With the close of the 2002 outdoor season, the International Athletic Foundation (IAF) has conducted its annual poll of a 12 strong panel of Athletics experts, in order to select the top 10 male and female athletes of the year.
The best three athletes will be chosen among these candidates on November 17.
Below listed the male and female candidates:
FEMALE:
Berhane Adere (Ethiopia): 5,000 and 10,000m
Sureyya Ayhan (Turkey): 1500m
Katja Bergqvist (Sweden): HJ
Gail Devers (USA): 100mH
Svetlana Feofanova (Russia): PV
Debbie Ferguson (Bahrain): 100m and 200m
Ana Guevara (Mexico): 400m
Marion Jones (USA): 100m and 200m
Maria Mutola (Mozambique): 800m
Paula Radcliffe (Britain): 5/10,000m/MAR
MALE:
Jonathan Edwards (Britain): TJ
Hicham El Guerrouj (Morrocco): 1,500m
Robert Fazekas (Hungary): HT
Konstandinos Kederis (Greece): 200m
Khalid Khannouchi (USA): MAR
Wilson Kipketer (Denmark): 800m
Robert Korzeniowski (Poland): Walks
Tim Montgomery (USA): 100m
Felix Sanchez (Dominican Republic): 400mH
Roman Sebrle (Czech Republic): DEC
The International Nominations Panel of Athletics Experts who made the top ten selection are as follows:
Sergey Bubka (Ukraine) - World Record Holder for Pole Vault, 6 time IAAF World Champion, IAAF Council Member and Executive Board Member of the International Olympic Committee
Nick Davies (Britain) - Director of IAAF Communications Department
James Dunaway (USA) - Freelance Track Correspondent for Track & Field News and numerous other publications
David Culbert (Austria) - Member of the IAAF Press Commission
Istvan Gyulai (Hungary) - IAAF General Secretary
Atsushi Hoshino (Japan) - Representing Japan Sports Press Association, Kyodo News Agency, Member of the IAAF Press Commission
Fekrou Kidane (Ethiopia) - former Director of International Co-operation, International Olympic Committee, Member of the IOC Press Commission
Peter Matthews (Britain) - Editor of premier athletics statistics annual Athletics 2002
Omulo Okoth (Kenya) - Sub-editor of the Nation newspaper, Nairobi
Robert Pariente (France) - Author, former Editorial Director of l'Equipe, and member of the IAAF Press Commission
Roberto Quercetani (Italia) - Author, historian and correspondent for numerous sports periodicals including Track & Field News, La Gazzetta dello Sport and La Nazione
Benedicto Turco (Brazil) - Press Officer of the Brazilian Athletics Confederation, Member of the IAAF Press Commission