Barshim, the 26-year-old Qatari high jumper, won his first global outdoor title at the London World Championships this summer.

It was a fitting position for an athlete who demonstrated his huge talent three years ago by moving to second on the all-time list behind world record holder Javier Sotomayor with a clearance of 2.43 metres.

Belgium's Thiam, an inspirational Olympic heptathlon champion last year, followed up this season by adding the world title at the age of 23.

Thiam won the IAAF Female Rising Star Award last year and attended at this year's ceremony where that title passed to Venezuela's world triple jump champion Yulimar Rojas.

The Belgian grinned broadly as, Cinderella-like, she lost a shoe in crossing the stage.

Barshim was happy to reflect on what he described as "a really great season for me".

"I'm really happy with my performance," he said.

"My big challenge was to have a healthy season.

"Since I jumped 2.43 in 2014 I had many issues with my back and knees so 2015 and 2016 were up and down years.

"I had to change my run up - I started almost limping.

"But this past season, thank God, I felt I could high jump without hesitation, with nothing to pull me back - when I jumped there was no pain.

"I feel like I'm free again.

"My coach said 'if you can stay like this all season it's going to be good'.

"We started slowly and trained smart, taking it step by step.

"And at the end of the year I was world champion."

Earlier in the evening the President's Prize was given to the now retired Usain Bolt, who sent in a video message from Australia.

"This shows that hard work does pay off," said the Jamaican, who has won eight Olympic sprint titles.

"It means the world to me.

"I have always pushed myself to be the best I can.

"I have showed the younger generation that with hard work you can do anything.

"No matter how much you get knocked down, just push on and be the best you can be."

IAAF President Sebastian Coe added: "When we get it right, our sport is unassailable.

"Our sport is stronger because of the reforms that were passed a year ago.

"It was an overwhelming vote for change which has safeguarded the future of our sport, crucially protecting the wellbeing and dreams of all our athletes.

"But we are not out of the woods.

"We have begun a root and branch review of our competitions.

"The official IAAF ranking list is the first step in the creation of the qualification mechanism to drive the sport's annual competition.

"These are exciting times for athletics."

The IAAF Rising Star Award for men went to Norway's world 400m hurdles champion Karsten Warholm.

The IAAF Coachin Achievement award went to 75-year-old South African Ans Botha, who has coached for 50 years and whose athletes include the current Olympic and world 400m champion Wayde van Niekerk.

The Women in Athletics award went to Cherry Alexander, of UK Athletics, who has been involved in athletics for more than 30 years, and was managing director for the IAAF World Championships London 2017.

This award recognises outstanding achievements and contributions made to develop, encourage and strengthen the participation of women and girls at all levels of the sport.

The award for Athletics Photograph of the Year went to Paul Sanwell for his image of Australia's Sally Pearson in the semi-finals of the 100m hurdles at the IAAF World Championships in London.