Jamaica's Olympic champion, Usain Bolt and Yelena Isinbayeva of Russia were named the 2008 World Athletes of the Year. The two sensational athletes of the world were conferred with the prestigious titles at the World Athletics Gala in Monte Carlo. Usain Bolt of Jamaica bagged three gold medals in this year's Beijing Olympic Games by winning the 100 and 200 metres and running the third leg on the victorious 4x100m relay.

The 22-year-old Jamaican athlete set world records by finishing 100 metres in just 9.69 seconds and 200 metres in 19.30 seconds in the Beijing Olympics. After receiving the coveted title of the athlete of the year, the elated Jamaican sensation said that is was an honour for him. He said that although he had belief in himself, but he was never expecting to be included in the prestigious list. He further stated that the recognition will motivate him to achieve more success in future.

Russian athlete Yelena Isinbayeva also put up a great show by successfully defending her pole vault title in the Beijing Olympics. She broke her own world record by executing the pole vault with record 5.05 metres. Earlier she had set the world records with 5.03 metres in Rome and 5.04 in Monaco in June. The 26-year-old Russian athlete set world record for the second consecutive time in the Beijing Olympics. Isinbayeva had also received the athlete of the year honours in 2004 and 2005. Both Bolt and Isinbayeva have received $US100,000 each.