Monte-Carlo - The process to decide the 2006 World Athletes of the Year has completed its initial stage.

A public vote on the IAAF website and a separate poll of IAAF Athletics Family Members - respectively weighted 30% / 70% in the decision making process - to select a short list from the original 20 candidates closed at the end of last week.

The shortlist of 6 names (3 men and 3 women) will now be presented to a Special Jury of the International Athletic Foundation, who will make the final selection of Athletes of the Year and announce the winners, live on stage, at the 2006 World Athletics Gala in Monaco on 12 November.

The short list of nominees for 2006 World Athletes of the Year is as follows: (In alphabetical order)

Men
Virgilijus Alekna (LTU)
Asafa Powell (JAM)
Liu Xiang (CHN)

Women
Meseret Defar (ETH)
Sanya Richards (USA)
Sherone Simpson (JAM)

Previous World Athletes of the Year
1988 Carl Lewis (USA) / Florence Griffith-Joyner (USA)
1989 Roger Kingdom (USA) / Ana Fidelia Quirot (CUB)
1990 Steve Backley (GBR) / Merlene Ottey (JAM)
1991 Carl Lewis (USA) / Katrin Krabbe (GER)
1992 Kevin Young (USA) / Heike Henkel (GER)
1993 Colin Jackson (GBR) / Sally Gunnell (GBR)
1994 Noureddine Morceli (ALG) / Jackie Joyner-Kersee
1995 Jonathan Edwards (GBR) / Gwen Torrence (USA)
1996 Michael Johnson (USA) / Svetlana Masterkova (RUS)
1997 Wilson Kipketer (DEN) / Marion Jones (USA)
1998 Haile Gebrselassie (ETH) / Marion Jones (USA)
1999 Michael Johnson (USA) / Gabriela Szabo (ROM)
2000 Jan Zelezny (CZE) / Marion Jones (USA)
2001 Hicham El Guerrouj (MAR) / Stacy Dragila (USA)
2002 Hicham El Guerrouj (MAR) / Paula Radcliffe (GBR)
2003 Hicham El Guerrouj (MAR) / Hestrie Cloete(RSA)
2004 Kenenisa Bekele (ETH) / Yelena Isinbayeva (RUS)
2005 Kenenisa Bekele (ETH) / Yelena Isinbayeva (RUS)