Blake (pictured above, far right), the reigning world 100 metres champion, could win the men's prize after defeating Bolt (pictured above, far left) in both the 100m and 200m races in times of 9.75 and 19.80 seconds, respectively.

Also up for the USSA award is American baseball star Matt Cain, who pitched the 22nd perfect game in the history of the major league for the San Francisco Giants during their 10-0 win over Houston Astros last month.

Ashton Eaton is nominated for the second time this year after setting a decathlon world record at the United States Olympic trials.

Eaton scored 9,039 points, beating the previous record by 13.

Tennis ace Rafa Nadal is also up for the USSA award after making history with his victory over Serbian world number one Novak Djokovic in the final of the French Open, 6-4, 6-3, 2-6, 7-5.

The victory meant the Spaniard became the first tennis player to win seven French Open titles, but his month ended with a shock defeat to Czech Lukáš Rosol in the second round of Wimbledon.


Another nominee is American swimming star Michael Phelps (pictured above) who secured a spot in five individual events, taking his total to eight at this summer's Olympics during the US trials.

As if 14 gold medals were not enough, he is aiming for another seven during London 2012 after recording the world's fastest time this year in the 100m butterfly and 200m individual medley.

America Golfer Webb Simpson completes the men's line up after he rallied on the last day of The Olympic Club making four birdies and finishing at one over 281 during the event, to beat compatriot Jim Furyk and Northern Ireland's Graeme McDowell to claim victory.

Nominated for the women's awards are Shanshan Feng of China who scored five-under-par 67 to become the first golfer from the country to win a major LPGA tournament.

American swimmer Missy Franklin is also up for the award after becoming the first female American swimmer in history to qualify for the Olympic Games in seven events last month.

Aged just 17, her achievement is all the more impressive, particularly as she set the American record in the 100m backstroke in a time of 58.85s.

Yet another US star, gymnast Gabby Douglas (pictured below), is shortlisted for the award after earning the first spot on the country's team for London 2012, beating Jordyn Wieber on her last event at the Olympic trials in San Jose, California.


The 16-year-old scored 123.45 in total over the two days to beat the defending world champion by a tenth of a point.

Sanya Richards-Ross ran 49.28s in the 400m at the US Olympic trials to reach a third Olympic Games, equalling the record held since 1984 by Chandra Cheeseborough and clinching a nomination for the USSA award in the process.

The 27-year-old also made history with a third place result in the 200m, meaning she qualified for both that and the 400m, the first American to do that since Valerie Brisco-Hooks, also in 1984.

Russian tennis star Maria Sharapova (pictured below) is also a nominee for the award after she claimed the French Open title last month with a 6-3, 6-2 win over Italian Sara Errani, and became the 10th woman in history to claim all four grand slams.


Like Nadal, however, the world number one's Wimbledon dream ended surprisingly early after being beaten by German Sabine Lisicki in the fourth round.

Swimmer Dana Vollmer completes the list of women up for the USSA title after setting a new American record in the 100m butterfly of the Olympic trials.

Her swim of 56.42s beat the previous mark set by Inge de Bruijn of the Netherlands over 10 years ago.

Voting for the award runs through until today here.

Contact the writer of this story at [email protected]


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