The magazine that was first published in 1945, is celebrating its Diamond anniversary and for its December issue, to mark the occasion it asked its more than 100,000 readers to vote for the top male and female track and field athletes between then and present day.
A whopping 55.3 per cent of the votes went to Usain Bolt as the top male athlete. Bolt won eight Olympic gold medals between 2008 and 2012 and became the first athlete to win gold medals in the 100m and 200m for three consecutive Olympic Games.
Bolt also won 11 World Championship gold medals.
The Jamaican also holds the world records in the 100m and 200m that were set at the 2009 World Championships in Berlin, Germany.
Coming in second with 17.1 per cent of the votes was the outstanding Ethiopian Haile Gebrselassie while Czechoslovakia’s Emil Zatopek was third with 14.5 per cent of the votes.
Fraser-Pryce has won two Olympic 100m gold medals, four 100m world titles and a 200m title but according to the voters that was not good enough to finish ahead of Ethiopia’s long-distance queen Tirunesh Dibaba, who garnered 31.1 per cent of the votes for greatest female track athlete.
Dibaba won world titles in the 5000m and 10,000m double in 2007 as well as winning the 10,000m title in both 2007 and 2013 and the 2017 10,000m silver.
Between 2005 and 2012, she won 12 successive races over 25 laps.
Dutch super athlete Fanny Blankers-Koen picked up 25.7 per cent of the vote while the Pocket Rocket won the hearts of 18.9 per cent of the voters.
"Training is going good so far; the work is never easy, it’s always hard. It’s an Olympic year so you have to put in that work," said Thompson-Herah, whose 10.61 in Tokyo is the Olympic record.
Under the guidance of Elite Performance Head Coach Renaldo Walcott, who also mentors the legendary Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, Thompson-Herah acknowledged the adjustments required with a new coaching setup but expressed satisfaction with the progress.
Reflecting on her pursuit of greatness, Thompson-Herah emphasized the importance of continuous improvement. "It’s more about tweaks and adjustments because if you want to be great, you have to make tweaks and adjustments," she explained. "Along my career to be better each time, I go to improve and to work towards my dreams and my goals."
Thompson-Herah recognizes the formidable competition she faces, including her compatriots Fraser-Pryce and Shericka Jackson, as well as American standout Sha’Carri Richardson. Despite the challenges ahead, she remains grounded yet resolute in her aspirations.
"I’m definitely confident, not super or over, but confident," Thompson-Herah affirmed. "I just want to stay focused and humble, have the right mindset and stay positive, no matter what obstacles or struggles come my way."
Having battled through injury setbacks, Thompson-Herah approaches this Olympic year with a mindful approach to her physical well-being. "It’s been super-difficult to know what you’re capable of and you’re not able to do that," she admitted. "For me, it’s all about staying patient and humble."
Acknowledging the evolution of her athletic journey, Thompson-Herah emphasized the importance of body maintenance and self-care. "It’s almost like you have a car; you have to service the car," she explained. "If I don’t service my body, I cannot produce to get those world record and times that I want."
As Thompson-Herah continues her preparations with a keen eye on the Paris Olympics, her dedication and resilience serve as testament to her unwavering pursuit of athletic excellence and historic achievements on the track.
Based in the United Kingdom, AW covers news, results, fixtures, coaching and product advice for all aspects of track and field, cross-country, road racing and race walking.
Each year, the respected online publication asks its readers to pick their favourite athletes across several categories inclusive of International Athlete, British Athlete, International Junior Athlete, British Junior Athlete, Masters Athlete, and Para Athlete.
Williams, 19, was among a stellar field of nominees that included Namibia phenom Christine Mboma, the World U20 200m champion and Olympic silver medalist; the USA’s Athing Mu, the Olympic 800m and 4x400m relay gold medalist; Sweden’s Maja Askag, the European and World U20 long and triple jump champion; Silja Kosonen, the European and World U20 hammer-throw champion and Saga Vanninen, the European and World U20 heptathlon champion.
Readers also cast their votes for their choice for the Mel Watman Award for Performance of the Year.
Williams was the fastest U20 female athlete over the 100m in 2021 with her personal best of 10.97. She was also a member of Jamaica’s 4x100m relay team that won gold in Tokyo in a national record of 41.02, the third-fastest time in history.
Williams’ coach, Ato Boldon views her nomination with a sense of satisfaction.
“Briana had to overcome a lot last year, from her grandmother’s death to early-season injuries, so it’s gratifying that she still got Olympic gold with team Jamaica and this is a great honour to be nominated with these outstanding juniors,” he said.
The results will be published in the December edition of Athletics Weekly.
