• Athletics

Bolt pips Farah to World Athlete of the Year award

ESPN staff
November 16, 2013
Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce and Usain Bolt made it a one-two for Jamaica © AP
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Usain Bolt has been crowned male World Athlete of the Year for a fifth time after pipping Great Britain's Mo Farah to the award in Monaco.

The Jamaican retained the honour after winning World Championships gold in the 100m, 200m and 4x100m relay in August to become the most successful athlete in the event's history. Bolt made it eight golds and 10 medals overall, with Farah's 5,000m and 10,000m triumphs proving not enough.

His compatriot Shelly-Ann Fraser Pryce took the women's award with a similar haul from Moscow. Earlier this week Fraser-Pryce threatened to lead a boycott of major events unless Jamaica's authorities "sta,nd by" their athletes in the recent doping row that has engulfed the island.

And after picking up the award at the IAAF World Athletes gala, Bolt set himself the target of breaking his 200m world record of 19.19 seconds.

"That has always been my dream; that has always been my aim," he said. "This season will be the season when I will be going for world records because there are no major [outdoor] championships.

"The 200m is much easier than the 100m to try for a record and that would be my main focus this season."

Bolt also said he is considering competing at the 2017 World Championships in London, having previously claimed he could retire after the 2016 Rio Olympics.

"I was having some talk about this with my coach, and he was saying people had said I should go for another year," he said.

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