
The candidates have been selected by an international panel of athletics experts which include representatives from all six continental areas of the IAAF.
An email poll involving the World Athletics Family* begins today, Friday 3 October, and will close on Thursday 16 October, midnight CET.
At the conclusion of the voting process, three male and three female finalists will be selected and announced by the IAAF.
The candidates for the World Athlete of the Year Award are (athletes listed in alphabetical order):
Men
Nigel Amos (BOT)
Mutaz Essa Barshim (QAT)
Jairus Kipchoge Birech (KEN)
Bogdan Bondarenko (UKR)
Yohann Diniz (FRA)
Justin Gatlin (USA)
Robert Harting (GER)
Dennis Kipruto Kimetto (KEN)
Renaud Lavillenie (FRA)
LaShawn Merritt (USA)
Women
Valerie Adams (NZL)
Genzebe Dibaba (ETH)
Dawn Harper Nelson (USA)
Caterine Ibarguen (COL)
Francena McCorory (USA)
Sandra Perkovic (CRO)
Dafne Schippers (NED)
Kaliese Spencer (JAM)
Barbora Spotakova (CZE)
Anita Wlodarczyk (POL)
You can view summaries of each athlete's achievements in 2014 here