Andre Lowe, Senior Staff Reporter

Jamaican World champions Usain Bolt and Yohan Blake are among the three finalists for the 2011 World Athlete of the Year award, while the country's other nominee, World Championships 200m gold medalist Veronica Campbell-Brown, has missed out on a top-three spot.

The Racers Track Club pair was yesterday named along with 800m World champion, Diamond League winner and the fastest man over the distance this year, David Rudisha, as the trio that are still in contention for the prestigious award that will be handed out next Saturday in Monte Carlo, Monaco, during the International Athletics Foundation Grand Gala.

The female finalists are Kenyan Vivian Cheruiyot, who claimed titles in the 5000m and 10,000m at the recent IAAF World Championships in Athletics, in Daegu, South Korea; 100m hurdles World champion Sally Pearson (Australia) and shot put World champion Valerie Adams (New Zealand).

Bolt, who helped himself to a 200m gold medal in Daegu while finishing unbeaten in the event on the circuit, has already won the award twice. Bolt, who also recorded the fastest 100m last season, won back-to-back World Athlete of the Year awards in 2008 and 2009 after triple gold medal exploits at the Beijing Olympics Games and the World Championships in Berlin, Germany.

Blake also enjoyed a successful year, winning the 100m gold medal in Daegu before posting the second fastest 200m in history, with a 19.26 seconds clocking at the Diamond League curtain-closer in Brussels, Belgium.

Both athletes were members of Jamaica's 4x100m quartet that posted a world record 37.04 seconds in Daegu. David Rudisha and Blanka Vlasic were last year's winners. Merlene Ottey, who won in 1990, is the only Jamaican female to have been named World Athlete of the Year.

The finalists were identified following a three week email poll involving members of the world athletics family such as journalists and agents.