Zelezny, Jones are athletes of the year

MONACO, NOV. 27. Czech javelin thrower Jan Zelezny and U.S. sprinter Marion Jones have been named athletes of the year by the International Amateur Athletic Federation (IAAF).

The IAAF President, Mr. Lamine Diack, made the announcement at the world athletics gala on Sunday.

Zelezny, 34, ignored back and elbow pains to become the first javelin thrower to win three Olympic titles with the gold medal at the Sydney Games in September. He won his golds in consecutive Olympics in 1992, 1996 and 2000.

Jones, 24, made an ambitious bid for five gold medals in Sydney but instead finished with three golds in the 100 metres, 200 metres, and 4x400 metres relay and two bronzes in the 4x100 relay and long jump.

Jones also had to overcome the announcement at the Games that her husband, world shot put champion C.J. Hunter, had tested positive four times for steroids during the season.

Mr. Diack said both Zelezny and Jones had shown ``outstanding competitive ability throughout the season. But they have also been superb role models displaying respect for their rivals and good humour during extremely stressful circumstances,'' he said.

The award was Zelezny's first, while Jones won in 1997 and 1998.

The IAAF also announced that Australia's 400 metre Olympic champion Cathy Freeman had been given the inspirational award after her performances in Sydney. German long jumper Heike Drechsler, who beat Jones in the Olympic final to take gold, and Ukraine's pole vaulter Sergei Bubka were given the distinguished career awards.

Drechsler, 35, began her successful career with a world championship gold in the long jump in 1983. Bubka, the six- time world champion who broke the world record 17 times but only managed one Olympic title at Seoul in 1988, announced his retirement this season.

The rising star awards went to 400 metre runners Hamdan O Al Bishi of Saudi Arabia and Australia's Jana Pittman who won the 400 metres titles at the junior track and field championships in Santiago in October. Pittman also won the 400 metres hurdles title.

- Reuters

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