MONACO (CMC) — Jamaica’s World and Olympic champions Usain Bolt and Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce were named World Athletes of the Year yesterday.

Bolt, who won the award for the fifth time, and Fraser-Pryce, a first-time winner, received their trophies at last evening’s IAAF World Athletics Gala held at the Salle des Etoiles of the Sporting Club d’Eté.

The awards were hosted by International Athletics Foundation (IAF) Honorary President HSH Prince Albert II of Monaco and IAAF President Lamine Diack, who presented the trophies to the male and female winners.

Both athletes will also receive a prize of US$100,000 each.

They became the third set of athletes from the same country to claim the World Athlete of the Year title simultaneously, following Carl Lewis and Florence Griffth-Joyner in 1988 and Britons Colin Jackson and Sally Gunnell in 1993.

Usain Bolt, 27, previously the World Athlete of the Year in 2008, 2009, 2011 and 2012, successfully defended both his 100m and 200m titles at the IAAF World Championships in Moscow, winning the latter final in a 2013 world-leading time of 19.66.

He concluded his World Championships by anchoring a Jamaican quartet to the gold medals in the 4x100m Relay. Bolt won 10 out of his 11 100m races (including heats), and was unbeaten in his five races over 200m.

“This season will be the one to go for the (200m) world record,” announced Bolt.

“I want to get ready to attack the World record,” he added, hinting that below 19 seconds was the target.

Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, 26, regained her 100m title at the 2013 IAAF World Championships, winning in 10.71 which remained the fastest time of the year. After having run the fastest time of the year in the 200m in 22.13 at the Jamaican championships in June, she went on to win the gold medal over the longer distance in Moscow.

Like her compatriot Bolt, she also anchored the Jamaican 4x100m team to victory, a national record and the second fastest time in history.

“I’m shocked and excited. It’s something that has been a dream of mine,” said a delighted Fraser-Pryce, who becomes the second Jamaican woman to win after Merlene Ottey in 1990.

“Not all the time do things happen that we want to happen, but this did,” she added.

Meanwhile, Digicel Jamaica CEO Barry O’Brien expressed delight on behalf of the company that the cellphone giant’s brand ambassadors have hit another first in their illustrious career.

“The entire Digicel family is today exceedingly proud of both our track and field brand ambassadors, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce and Usain Bolt, for winning the prestigious IAAF Athlete of the Year Awards. This recognition is very well deserved, especially after seeing how they both dominated this year’s IAAF World Championships in Moscow with gold medals in the 100m, 200m and 4x100m races.

“Moments like these make us truly proud to have Usain and Shelly-Ann as a part of the Digicel family. Heartfelt congratulations to both of them and certainly all Jamaicans are extremely proud,” O’Brien was quoted as saying.