ANSWER: Usain Bolt
Explanation:
Sprinter Usain Bolt won an unprecedented sixth IAAF male athlete of the year award on 2nd Dec 2016.
Ethiopian Almaz Ayana received the female award after record setting 10000m gold in Rio.
Bolt previously won in the years – 2008, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2013.
He was rewarded for a top performance that saw him claim 3 gold medals (100, 200 and 4x100m relay) at Rio Olympics for the third consecutive Games
The 30-year-old dominated the 100m in 9.81 sec and came back four days later with 19.78 sec victory in the 200m to secure a third straight Olympic title over both distances, making this the first record of its kind.
He also led Jamaica to victory in the 4x100m in 37.27 sec, the fourth fastest of all times.
His 9.81 sec gold medal winning performance in Rio was the second fastest in the world and 19.78 sec in the 200m the third fastest.
Bolt ended his season unbeaten in six individual finals, making history as the first athlete to win 3 consecutive Olympic triples.
Bolt competed against British sprinter Mo Farah (who attained the Olympic double double in the 5000m and 10000m) and South Africa’s Wayde van Niekerk ( known for Olympic gold medal winning run in the 400m beating Michael Johnson)
Know Ethiopian Female Sprinter Almaz Ayana
- Age: 25 years
- She claimed the prize after smashing the 10,000m world record
- She also was the 5000m champion in 2015.
- Rome: 14:12:59 run which the second fastest performance of all times
- Ethiopian Olympic Trials: 30:07:00 run, fastest ever debut over the distance for 10,000m.
- Rio: World record of 29:17:45 for a 10,000m run.
