Nacac chooses athletes of the year: Thompson-Herah and Crouser
Havana, November 9 (JIT)-- Two gifted athletes of the sports world -- Jamaican sprinter Elaine Thompson-Herah and U.S. ballet athlete Ryan Crouser -- were chosen as the best athletes of 2021 for the North, Central American and Caribbean Athletics Association (Nacac).
The designations fully correspond to the dream season they lived, with two world records, two Olympic records and four medals under the five rings, if we are to summarize the results of both athletes in the year.
Thompson-Herah reigned in the 100m, 200m and 4x100m relay in the Japanese capital, but the most interesting aspect of her campaign was undoubtedly the records she set. With 10.61 seconds she set a new Olympic record in the hectometer and then with 21.53 seconds she lowered her country's record in the 200.
If that had not been enough, the compatriot of the legendary Usain Bolt then won the Eugene Diamond League stop with 10.54 seconds, just five hundredths of a second off the world record held since 1988 by the American Florence Griffith-Joyner.
In the current century only five women have managed to close a year as the fastest in the 100 and 200 meters. And Thompson had already done it in 2016....
She also shows 14 sub-10.80-second records in the 100 meters and is the only one who has been able to run the distance in under 10.70 on four occasions.
Although less followed by the fans, Crouser is not far behind in terms of great marks. She took the world record for the shot put to 23.37 meters last June 18, just months after setting the world indoor record at 22.82 meters.
He won gold in Tokyo, also with a new Olympic record of 23.30 meters, and won the Diamond League circuit. In his entire career, he has 23 throws over 22.50 meters and four of them went over the 23 limit.
WORLD ATHLETICS ANNOUNCES RISING STAR AWARD NOMINEES
The five women who will compete for the World Athletics Rising Star Award were announced on Monday, and coincidentally some of them are also in the running for Best of the Year, regardless of age.
Once again, those in charge of choosing will not have an easy task, as there are plenty of good results among girls under 20 years of age. Although it seems that the American Athing Mu could have an "advantage" over all of them, as she is the only one who won an Olympic title in Tokyo.
Winner of the 800 meters in the Japanese summer event, world under-20 indoor record holder and national record holder in 800 and 400 meters for that age category, summarize her main merits in the season.
The other nominees for the distinction are Great Britain's Keely Hodgkinson (800 meters), Finland's Silja Kosonem (hammer), Namibia's Christine Mboma (200 meters) and Ethiopia's Zerfe Wondemagegn (3000 meters).
The winner will be announced at the Annual Gala on December 1, traditionally held in the Principality of Monaco.
The same will happen with the men, whose five nominees will be announced on Tuesday.
