Being a consensus winner of the Track & Field News Men’s Athlete Of The Year award used to be rare. It happened only twice over the span of some 40 years; now it has happened three years in a row, as David Rudisha has followed Usain Bolt’s two perfect years with one of his own. The first two aces were scored by legends Henry Rono in ’78 and Michael Johnson in ’96.

That kind of thing happens when you take down a venerable World Record and then actually better it again as part of an unbeaten season. Rudisha is the first 800 runner to be No. 1 since ’97, when Wilson Kipketer—the man who preceded Rudisha as the WR holder—turned the trick.

Scores for the first 10 of 17 who received votes:

1. David Rudisha (Kenya—800) 300

2. David Oliver (US—110 Hurdles) 269

3. Christian Cantwell (US—shot put) 209