American swimmer Matt Biondi and English track...

American swimmer Matt Biondi and English track star Steve Cram head a list of eight world-class athletes from seven countries who have been nominated for the sixth annual Jesse Owens International Amateur Athlete Award after setting world records or winning world championships during 1985.

Biondi set a world mark of 48.95 seconds in the 100-meter freestyle, while Cram set world records of 3:46.31 for the mile; 3:29.67 for the 1,500 meters (later broken by Said Aouita of Morocco) and 4:51.39 for the 2,000 meters.

Others nominated include Aouita, pole vaulter Sergei Bubka of the Soviet Union, swimmer Micheal Gross of West Germany, gymnast Yuri Korolev of the Soviet Union, javelin thrower Felke Petra of East Germany and judo star Yashuhiro Yamashita of Japan.