Photos: World Athlete Of The Year 2014: The Contenders- Any Athlete From Your Country?

International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) announced names of candidates for the World Athlete of the Year Award earlier last month. The candidates were shortlisted by a global panel of experts that included representatives from all six continental areas of the IAAF. The Council of the International Athletics Foundation will announce the male and female winners at the 2014 World Athletics Gala on Friday November 21, 2014.

Nigel Amos (Botswana)

The 18-year-old runner settled for the silver medal in 2012 Olympics, competing in 800 metres and making a world junior record in the category. He finished the race in a time of 1:41.11, which was 20 milliseconds behind the gold medal record.

Mutaz Essa Barshim (Qatar)

The high jumper is the national record and Asian record holder with a best mark of 2.43 metres. He also won the bronze medal at the 2012 Olympic Games at London.

Jairus Kipchoge Birech (Kenya)

Jairus is an obstacle race athlete, who struck gold in 2014 African Championships and silver in the same year at Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. He ranks among the top ten obstacle runners of all-time with a personal best time of 7:58.41 minutes for the 3000 metres.

Bogdan Bondarenko (Ukraine)

The 25-year-old high jumper has his personal best jump at 2.42 metres, a European record set at 2014 IAAF Diamond League, in New York.

Yohann Diniz (France)

The 36-year-old French race walker is the current world-record holder for the 50 km race. He has won gold in 2006 Gothenburg, 2010 Barcelona and 2014 Zurich European Championships.

Justin Gatlin (USA)

The American sprinter holds an Olympic gold medal for 100 meters race in 2004.

Dennis Kipruto Kimetto (Kenya)

He is a long-distance runner and holds world record for 25 km road distance marathon. He has won all the major long-distance running events including Tokyo, Chicago and Berlin marathon in 2013 and 2014.

Renaud Lavillenie (France)

The pole-vaulter clinched gold in 2012 Olympic Games. He is the current world record holder for the highest pole vault clearance with a height of 6.16 metres, set in February 2014.

LaShawn Merritt (USA)#

The American track and field athlete specialises in 400 metres. He won two gold medals in 400 metre relay and 400 metre track races, besides putting six gold in his kitty at various World Championships.

Robert Harting (Germany)

This discus thrower is the current Olympic, World and European champion, winning gold medals in all the three events.Robert Harting (GER) was nominated but has requested to be removed from the vote. (IAAF.org)

Valerie Adams (New Zealand)

She struck gold in shot put in 2008 and 2012 Olympic Games. The shot putter is one of the nine athletes to have won world championships at the youth, junior, and senior level of an athletic event.

Genzebe Dibaba (Ethiopia)

The 23-year-old Ethiopian track athlete specialises in middle and long-distance running events. She holds the world record for 1500 metres, set in 2012 at World Indoor Championship.

Dawn Harper Nelson (USA)

She is the first American to win a gold medal in 100 metres hurdle in 2008 Beijing Olympics. The following Olympics in London, she won a silver medal in the category.

Caterine Ibarguen (Columbia)

She bagged a silver medal at the 2012 London Olympics in triple jump competition, and clinched gold at the IAAF World Championships held in Moscow in 2013. Besides, she holds the South American record in the triple jump with a jumping distance of 15.31 metres.

Francena McCorory (USA)

The track and field athlete is famous for running the 400 metres. She bagged gold medal in the 4×400 m relay at the 2012 Summer Olympics and is the reigning champion of IAAF 400 metres Indoor World Event in 2014.

Sandra Perkovic (Croatia)

She is one of the youngest champions in discus throw. She struck gold in 2012 Olympic Games, 2013 World Championship in Moscow and 2014 European Championship in Zurich.

Dafne Schippers (Netherlands)

She is the reigning champion in 100 and 200 meter track events in the 2014 European Championship and Continental Cup.

Kaliese Spencer (Jamaica)

Aged 27, the Jamaican track and field athlete specialises in the 400 metres hurdles. She won gold medal in Commonwealth Games in 2014.

Barbora Spotakova (Czech Republic)

The javelin thrower has struck gold in the past two Olympic games, and is the current world record holder with a throw of 72.28 metres.

Anita Wlodarczyk (Poland)

She holds the world record for hammer throw, for a distance of 79.58 metres. She won silver medal in Olympics (2012) and gold in the European Championship (2014).