Record Sotomayor is threatened this year

The catarí Mutaz Essa Barshim, Kenyan Dennis Kipruto and French Renaud Lavillenie in men's and New Zealand's Valerie Adams, the Ethiopian Genzebe Dibaba and Dutch Dafne Schippers, in the female, are candidates for Athlete of the Year 2014 been announced as the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF).

The finalists have been chosen in an open online and the final choice is now up to the Directing Council of the IAAF vote.

The resulting winners will receive their trophies during the World Athletics Gala to be held on 21 November in Montecarlo.

The catarí Mutaz Essa Barshim is the man who has approached the world record height of Cuban Javier Sotomayor, when on 5 September in Brussels topped 2.43 meters, two centimeters below the world record of the Cuban.

The Kenyan Kipruto broke on September 29 in Berlin marathon world record by running the distance in 2h: 02: 57, lowering in 26 seconds world record was held by his compatriot Wilson Kipsang.

The French Renaud Lavillenie Ukrainian Sergey Bubka dethroned as world record holder in pole vault with a jump of 6.16 meters.

Of the women, Valerie Adams of New Zealand, twice Olympic champion and four global bullet carries a streak of 55 consecutive victories, the Ethiopian Dibaba beat Genzebe indoor track world records for 1,500, 3,000 and two miles and Schippers Dutch bronze in the heptathlon World Moscow 2013, is the new queen of European speed to Zurich completing the double with his win in the 100 and 200 meters.