Records and sub-10s not enough

Powell ran 12 sub-10 seconds times in the 100m this season and lowered his 200m personal best from 20.08secs to 19.90secs, but none of his performances from those disciplines were selected.

Those on the men's side up for the award are Chinese Olympic and World record holder over the 110-metres hurdles Liu Xiang, for his 12.88secs record run at the IAAF Super Grand Prix in Lausanne, American Jeremy Wariner for running 43.62 at the IAAF Golden League meeting in Rome and Norwegian Andreas Thorkildsen for his the 91.59m performance in the Javelin at the IAAF Golden League meeting in Oslo.

Simpson carries the Caribbean banner

Powell might not have been amongst those selected on the men's side but his training partner and fellow Jamaican, Sherone Simpson, who had a blinding season this year, was elected amongst three up for the award on the women's side.

Simpson was elected after racing to a splendid 10.89, one of her three performances under-10.90 this year, to win the 100m at the IAAF World Athletics Final one day after a below-par performance at 200m.

The other two women in line to win the award are Swedish High Jumper Kajsa Bergqvist for breaking the 14-year-old World Indoor High Jump record of Heike Henkel in Arnstadt with a clearance of 2.08m and Meseret Defar of Ethiopia for breaking the 5000m World record in New York City.

According the IAAF, "the shortlist of 6 names will now be presented to a Special Jury of the International Athletic Foundation, who will make the final selection of the Performances of the Year and announce the winners."

The announcement will be made live on stage, at this year's World Athletics Gala in the Salle des Etoiles of the Sporting Club d’Eté, Monte-Carlo, on Sunday, 12 November.