Mo Farah, Wayde van Niekerk and Nafi Thiam on IAAF Athlete of the Year shortlist

ByEurosport

Updated 02/10/2017 at 16:21 GMT

Mo Farah, Wayde van Niekerk and Nafi Thiam have all been named on the shortlist for the IAAF's Athlete of the Year award.

Mo Farah of Britain gestures

Image credit: Reuters

Farah - aiming to become the first Brit to win the award since Jonathan Edwards back in 1995 - faces stiff competition from 400m world champion Wayde van Niekerk and Javelin star Johannes Vetter.

There will be a first-time winner of the men’s award, with six-times winner Usain Bolt not shortlisted.

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Incumbent Almaz Ayana is again nominated along with Nafi Thiam, Mariya Lasitskene and Caster Semenya.

Lasitskene, 24, added the Diamond League to her world championship gold in a standout season while the impressive Thiam continues to dominate the heptathlon.

The 26-year-old Semenya is already a three-times world champion in the 800m having won gold in London following triumphs in Berlin in 2009 and Daegu in 2011.