British sprinter Dina Asher-Smith and South African middle distance runner Caster Semenya led the 10 athletes nominated for Female World Athlete of the Year award.
This, the International Amateur Athletic Federation (IAAF) announced ahead of its Athletics Awards scheduled in December in Monaco.
Asher-Smith was nominated on the strength of her sweeping an historic treble at the European Championships, bagging the gold medals in the 100m, 200m and 4x100m relay -- all in world record-breaking times.
Semenya, on the other hand, was unbeaten in her nine 800m finals, bringing home the gold medals at the Commonwealth Games, African Championships, Diamond League finals and Continental Cup.
ESPN reported that the world?s governing body in track and field will not apply rules to limit natural testosterone levels in female runners until the Court of Arbitration for Sport concludes a case involving Olympic champion Caster Semenya.
Among the other candidates for the award are Kenya's Beatrice Chepkoech, world record-breaker in the 3000m steeplechase in July, and Nafissatou Thiam, the unbeaten Belgian heptathlete, who won the European championship in her event.
Bahamanian Shaunae Miller-Uibo has also been recommended for the award after impressive season that saw her become the Commonwealth Games and Diamond League champion in the 200m besides submitting the fastest 400m run in more than 12 years.
Colombian triple jump ace Caterina Ibarguen and high jump champion Maria Lasitskene, who competes as an authorised neutral athlete, are also nominated alongside Croatian discus throw veteran Sandra Perkovic, Polish hammer thrower Anita Wlodarczyk and the Dutch European 5000m champion Sifan Hassan.
Fans are encouraged to vote for their favourite athletes on the IAAF?s social media channels, with their votes counting towards the eventual winner.
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