( L - R ) Bolt, Fraser
World Championships triple gold medallist and world 100 metres and 200 metres record-holder Usain Bolt, and world 100 metres champion Shelly-Ann Fraser head the list of five men and nine women who have been nominated for the annual RJR National Sportsman and Sportswoman of the Year awards.
The event, which will take place on January 14, will see Bolt, who captured the award last year, going up against West Indies cricketers Chris Gayle, Jerome Taylor and Brendan Nash, and fellow sprinter, Asafa Powell.
Meanwhile, Fraser will have as her rivals fellow track and field athletes Brigitte Foster-Hylton, Melaine Walker, Shericka Williams, Delloreen Ennis-London, Kerron Stewart and Veronica Campbell-Brown; netballer Romelda Aiken, and West Indies women's cricketer Stafanie Taylor.
Outstanding
"The nominees reflect who we deem to be outstanding in their respective disciplines throughout the year by virtue of their performances, and we look forward to the night of the event when the winner of each category is selected," said chairman of the RJR Sports Foundation's Selection Committee, Mike Fennell, at the event's official launch yesterday at The Pegasus hotel in New Kingston.
The foundation's selection committee also includes Courtney Walsh, Grace Jackson, Clement Radcliffe, Courtney Sargeant and Tony Becca.
The awards, which have been around since 1961 when boxer George 'Bunny' Grant and table tennis player Joy Foster copped the first titles, will also feature, for the second year running, the popular People's Choice Award, which is geared towards getting the public involved in the event via text-message voting.
Won last year by Fraser who, after her 100m triumph at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, punched the air with joy, the People's Choice Award will this year have seven nominees, an increase of two over last year.
Among the list of nominees for this award are Foster-Hylton who, after many tries, won gold at 2009 World Championships; Jerome Taylor, whose five for 11 off nine overs helped the West Indies bowled out England for 51 at Sabina Park; Stafanie Taylor, whose near run-a-ball 108 propelled the West Indies to a convincing five-wicket win over South Africa in the opening match of a four-game series; Melaine Walker, who captured 400m hurdles gold at the 2009 World Championships; and netballer Simone Forbes, who inspired Jamaica to victory over New Zealand to level their two-match series.
"It's an opportunity to get the nation involved in the process and expose excellent performers and performances," said Chris Dehring, chairman of the RJR Sports Foundation.
"Voting will commence immediately following this press conference and, like last year, we are again anticipating good responses to the award from the public."
Other presentations that will be made on the night include certificates of merit, category awards, team awards and the Chairman's Award.
World Championship 400m gold medallist, Jamaica-born Sanya Richards, will be guest speaker at the function, which is being staged by the RJR Communications Group for the fourth year.