Usain Bolt - file

Triple Olympic gold medallist Usain Bolt, Melanie Walker, 400m hurdles gold medal winner, Veronica Campbell-Brown, who repeated her Athens 200m success, and Shelly- Ann Fraser, the country's first gold medal winner in the women's 100m event, head the list of nominees for the 2008 RJR Sports Foundation Sportsman and Sportswoman of the Year awards.

The winners will be named tomorrow night at the 48th annual National Sportsman and Sportswoman of the Year award ceremony at the Courtleigh auditorium, beginning at 8 p.m.

New chairman of the RJR Sports Foundation, Chris Dehring, is excited about the night as the committee looks forward to honouring the athletes.

"It is an awards ceremony to honour our Jamaican athletes. Several athletes will be coming for the event but some are involved in competitions at the moment and, unfortunately, those won't be able to make it," Dehring said.

Best performances

A People's Choice Performance award will be among the highlights of the evening's function. Fraser's 10.78 Olympic effort, Jerome Taylor's 106 runs against New Zealand, Ricardo Fuller's goal against Mexico in World Cup qualifying, and Daemon Benjamin's goal for Boys' Town against Arnett Gardens, in the National Premier League, have been considered as the best performances of 2008.

"As for the People's Choice Performance award, we have had very good responses from the public towards the award. In terms of the Sportsman and Sportswoman of the Year the selection committee has made its recommendations to the board and the board has ratified the decisions. These recommendations will be announced tomorrow night," he said.

In addition to Bolt, the other male nominees includeJerome Taylor, Luton Shelton, Asafa Powell and West Indies cricket captain Chris Gayle. Joining Fraser, Campbell-Brown and Walker on the list of female nominees areShericka Williams, Sherone Simpson, Kerron Stewart and cricketer Stephanie Taylor.