MONTE-CARLO:

Two of the world's fastest men, world sprint double record holder Usain Bolt and fellow Jamaican Asafa Powell endorsed the move by the International Assiociation of Athletics Federations (IAAF) to reduce the number of rounds at major championships.

Bolt, who ran nine races in Berlin, four each in the 100m and 200m, along with the final of the 4x100m relay, will be the biggest beneficiary from Friday's announcement by the IAAF that only three rounds per event will be accommodated at future World Championships.

Better times

"It's easier for me to run less races ... the hard part of any Championships is to do so many races in such a short time," said Bolt, who also won the Olympic sprint double in 2008.

"This could mean better times, especially for the people doing two events," added Bolt, who was named yesterday as the IAAF Male Athlete of the Year for the second straight year.

Powell, who held the world 100m record between 2005 and 2008, also welcomed the move by the sport's world governing body.

"I think it's a good idea, especially because a lot of the sprinters are doubling," said Powell, who has a personal best of 9.72 seconds.

"It's hard to run eight rounds, especially with just a day and a half rest between the 100m and 200m, so I think it's a good move," added Powell, whose 9.72 ranks him third fastest, only behind Bolt and American Tyson Gay (9.69).

Powell added: "I think it's going to benefit a lot of the athletes, for me it's one less round, so I just have to prepare for it differently."

Powell was in Monte-Carlo for Saturday's launch of the IAAF Diamond League, for which the world's three-fastest men were named ambassadors.

Meanwhile, Bolt, as expected, was once again installed as the World Male Athlete of the Year.

Dressed in a black suit, white shirt and bowtie, Bolt collected his award here at the World Athletics Gala held inside the Salle des Etoiles of the Sporting Club d'Eté.

"To be named Athlete of the Year is always an honour," said Bolt, who was accompanied by his brother, Sadeke Bolt.

Hard work

Jamaica-born American sprinter Sanya Richards, who won her first major title - the 400m at the World Championships this past season - copped the Female Athlete of the Year Award.

IAAF President Lamine Diack and His Serene Highness Prince Albert II of Monaco jointly presented both athletes with their awards.

"I am really proud of myself. It shows that all the hard work we, Sanya and I, put in actually paid off at the end of the year," commented Bolt.

Bolt, who thanked his many fans for their support throughout the year, said awards such as these "motivate us to continue to work harder".

Just last week, he won his second straight Gleaner's Man of the Year award.

Ethiopian distance king Kenenisa Bekele, American sprinter Tyson Gay, Steven Hooker of Australia and Andreas Thorkildsen of Norway were the others nominated alongside Bolt, who described his year as 'amazing'.

"It was an amazing year for me, it was a trying year also, especially after my accident, but I think that (accident) helped me to work even harder this season, because I had missed so much training," he said.

Meanwhile, Richards, who like Bolt was born in Trelawny, was winning her second award, having taken the 2006 title when Asafa Powell had won the men's crown.

"I am just so excited, so overwhelmed," was how Richards, who shared the Golden League award, described the moment.

Richards said she felt like when she had won her first global title, the women's 400m gold in Berlin.

"It's on the same level," she said. "It's such an honour and privilege to be named IAAF Female Athlete of the Year."

Russian Yelena Isinbayeva, Valerie Vili of New Zealand, Blanka Vlasic of Croatia and Pole Anita Wlodarczyk were the other female nominees.

"To be in the company of Usain Bolt is an honour in itself, but especially to be up against the women who were the finalists for this year's award. I know this must have been a really, really tough decision and I am just so honoured that I won."

Richards' coach, Clyde Heart, who also conditions Jeremy Wariner, was named Coach of the Year.