Obiri has been in stellar form this season, winning the Diamond League Trophy to her cabinet. Obiri was on Friday elected unopposed as women's athlete representative in a new look National Olympic Committee of Kenya office. For the award, she will be up against South Africa 800m world and
Olympic champion Caster Semenya, Ethiopia's 10,000m world and Olympic champion Almaz Ayana, world 100m hurdle champion Sally Pearson of Australia, Croatia's Sandra Perkovic, the world champion discuss thrower, world long jump champion Britney Reese of USA and pole vaulter Ekaterina Stefanidi of Greece. Belgian hepathlete Nafissatou Thiam, Russian high jumper Maria Lasitskene and Olympic champion Anita Wlodarczyk of Poland are also in the mix.
Manangoi, who clinched silver at the 2015 world championships in Beijing, announced his arrival on the world stage by winning gold in his specialty in London. He faces Great Britiana's Mo Farah, South Africa's 400m world champion Wayde Van Niekerk, compatriot world long jump champion Luvo Manyonga, world high jump champion Essa Barshim of Qatar, Jamaica's 110m 0lympic and world 110 champion Omar Macleod, world pole vault champion Sam Kendricks of the USA and world hammer throw Pavel Fadjek of Poland. David Rudisha is the only Kenyan to have won the award in 2010.
The IAAF Council and the IAAF Family will cast their votes by email, while fans can vote online via the IAAF's social media platforms. Individual graphics for each nominee will be posted on Facebook and Twitter later this week; a ˜like' or a favourite will count as one vote.
-The Star| William Njuguna