Nike logo2010 Jesse Owens Athlete of the Year Award presented by Nike

For the second year in a row, track and field fans have the opportunity to help select the annual Jesse Owens Awards winners. The honors going to the sport’s top athletes of the year is selected by a vote of the media; again this year, an online fan balloting will account for 10 percent of the votes.

The following contains a list of the nominees and paragraphs illustrating the nominees’ accomplishments for the 2010 season.

Cast your vote by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on THURSDAY, OCTOBER 21. BE SURE TO CHOOSE ONE MALE AND ONE FEMALE WINNER.

This year’s awards will be presented December 4 at the Jesse Owens Awards and Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, held in conjunction with USA Track & Field’s 2010 Annual Meeting in Virginia Beach, Virginia, December 1-5.

The Jesse Owens Award was established in 1981 as a tribute to the man whose accomplishments are forever enshrined in sports history. It is USA Track & Field’s highest accolade, and is presented annually to the individuals selected through a nominating and voting procedure as the outstanding American performers of the year in Athletics.

PRIZES:
Ten lucky fans who participate in the voting will be chosen at random to receive select USATF/Nike merchandise. Of the winners, one person will win the prize bonus of a Team USA jersey autographed by Carl Lewis. Read the official rules of the contest.

2010 Nominees (in alphabetical order)

Christian Cantwell

Christian Cantwell

  • World Indoor shot put champion (1st ever to win that event 3 times)
  • USA Indoor and Outdoor champion
  • 2010 Indoor Visa Championship Series winner
  • World leading mark indoors (21.95m/72-0.25)
  • Owned top three throws in the world including world leader (22.41m/73-6.25)
  • Won inaugural IAAF Diamond League men’s shot put title
  • Put the shot 70 feet or more at 20 different meets
Tyson Gay

Tyson Gay

  • Equaled world leading time in men’s100 meters (9.78)
  • Won inaugural IAAF Diamond League men’s 100m title
  • Equaled second-fastest time in the world in the 200m (19.72)
  • Handed world record holder/world & Olympic champion Usain Bolt his first 100m loss in two years (9.84 to 9.97).
  • Posted straight 200m world record (19.41)
Bernard Lagat

Bernard Lagat

  • World Indoor 3,000m champion
  • Pending USA Indoor 5,000m record (13:11.50) at Boston Indoor Games
  • Won Wanamaker Mile at Millrose Games for the eighth time (all-time leader)
  • USA Outdoor 5,000m champion
  • Pending USA Outdoor 3,000m record (7:29.00) at Rieti, Italy
  • Pending USA Outdoor 5,000m record (12:54.12) at Oslo, Norway
  • Led U.S. Indoor list at 1,500m (3:35.49) & 5,000m (13:11.50)
  • Became the first ever to win 3,000m & 5,000m at IAAF Continental Cup
David Oliver

David Oliver

  • World Indoor Championships 60m hurdles bronze medalist (7.44PR)
  • Won USA Outdoor 110m hurdles title (12.93)
  • Equaled then American record at Nike Pre Classic (12.90)
  • Pending USA Outdoor 110m hurdles record (12.89) at St. Denis, France
  • Won inaugural IAAF Diamond League 110m hurdles title
  • Posted five fastest times in the world including world leader (12.89AR)
  • Unbeaten in 15 finals races
  • 2nd on U.S. Indoor list at 60m hurdles (7.44)
  • Runner up at USA Indoor Champs (7.54)
Chris Solinsky

Chris Solinsky

  • Pending USA 10,000m record (26:59.60) at Stanford, Calif. Bettered previous AR by by more than 14 seconds
  • First American to break 27-minute barrier at 10,000m
  • His 26:59.60 10,000m was the second fastest time in the world
  • #2 on U.S. Outdoor list at 3,000m (7:34.32)
  • #2 on U.S. Outdoor list at 5,000m (12:55.53PR)
Allyson Felix

Allyson Felix

  • USA Outdoor 100m champion
  • Won the Diamond League in the 200 and 400m, was the only double champion
  • World Indoor 4x400m gold medalist
  • Had two of the top three times in the world in the 200m, and top three times by an American in 2010
  • Second fastest American over 400m in 2010
  • Posted major wins in the 200m in Paris, Stockholm, London and Brussels; 400m wins in Doha, Eugene, London and Zurich
Molly Huddle

Molly Huddle

  • Set American record in 5,000m (14:44.76) in finishing 10th in Brussels Diamond League meeting
  • USA 5 km and 10 km road champion
  • USA Outdoor Championships runner-up
Chaunte Lowe

Chaunte Lowe

  • Had three of the top five marks in the world this year, including the WL 2.05m, and the top 13 marks by an American in 2010
  • Set the American record in the women’s HJ twice in 2010: 1st (2.04m/6-8.5) on May 30, in Cottbus, Germany and then again in winning the USA Outdoor Championships (2.05m/6-8.75)
  • Won her fourth USA Outdoor HJ title and finished as the runner-up in the long jump
  • Outdoor Visa champion as top performer in the Visa Championship Series
  • World Indoor bronze medalist and USA Indoor champion
  • Posted major wins in Paris, Stockholm, Oslo and Doha
Kara Patterson

Kara Patterson

  • Set American record in javelin (66.67m) in winning her third USA Outdoor title
  • Diamond League runner-up
  • Won the Nike Prefontaine Classic

Voting has closed - 10/22/10