Athletics stars Gay and Defar take top IAAF awards

0 Comments | AFP, November, 2007

MONACO (AFP) — World champion sprinter Tyson Gay of the United States and Ethiopian middle-distance starlet Meseret Defar were on Sunday named by athletics' world governing body, the IAAF, as the top athletes of 2007.

Gay claimed a sprint double at the world championships in Osaka in August, and also helped the US 4x100m relay team to victory to become only the fourth man to win three titles at a single world meet.

Gay, 25, won the 100m in 9.85 seconds, then captured the 200m in 19.76sec and ran the third leg on a relay that was triumphant in 37.78 seconds.

Gay said he would now target the 100m world record, currently held by Jamaica's Asafa Powell.

"To follow in Carl Lewis's footsteps (the first winner of the IAF Athlete of the Year) is just a great...