Bohdan Bondarenko, photo by PhotoRun.net
In the closest voting in the history of Track & Field News world rankings, Bohdan Bondarenko won by one point over Usain Bolt for the Male Athlete of the Year in 2013. Track & Field News, established in 1948, is the Bible of the Sport. www.trackandfieldnews.com
Bondarenko over Bolt by one point
MOUNTAIN VIEW (USA): Ukraine´s World High Jump Champion and European Athlete of the Year Bohdan Bondarenko is also Athlete of the Year by Track and Field News. First male high jumper ever to win the poll. The tightest voting in AOY history Bondarenko edge Jamaican sprint king Usain Bolt by a single point (310 to 309). The previous standard for close ones was Alberto Juantorena’s 4-point margin over Edwin Moses in 1977. Informs TFN website. The 34-member international panel split the No. 1 votes three ways: 18 to Bondarenko, 12 to Bolt and 4 to Mo Farah. Third is clearly so Farah (267) followed by Mohamed Aman as fourth (213). Fifth place for LaShawn Merritt (188) and sixth Robert Harting as best thrower of the year (107). Then it was more closer with Ashton Eaton 7th (98) over three jumpers Renaud Lavillenie (88), Aleksandr Menkov (81) and Teddy Tamgho (61).
