World female athlete of the year Sanya Richards has sent a clear message to her rivals that she intends continuing to dominate the 400 metres in the next few years.

Richards failed to qualify for the World Championships in 2007 and could only finish third at the Beijing Olympics in 2008 - both events won by Britain's Christine Ohuruogu - after starting as hot favourite.

The 24-year-old went back to basics under the watchful eye of Clyde Hart, who coached the legendary Michael Johnson and is now guiding the career of 2004 Olympic champion Jeremy Wariner.

Richards listened closely to what Hart - himself honoured on Sunday as coach of the year - had to say, but also revealed how much she learnt from Usain Bolt and his fellow Jamaican athletes who performed so well in China.

"The Olympics were so huge and I felt like there was so much pressure yet these (Jamaican) athletes were having so much fun," Richards said.

"I felt to myself I had to recapture that element of the sport that I think I lost.

"I was so focused on winning the medals, the money and everything that came with being a champion, I forgot the simple enthusiasm and fun of the past."

Richards duly won her first global title at the World Championships in Berlin in August and added: "I just had fun this season and it took a lot of pressure off.

"I don't think I changed my strategy, I think I captured the elements of fun in track and field and I had a really good time."

Next summer Richards is looking forward to the new Diamond League, which will offer

USD6.3million prize money over 14 events plus other incentives, including four-carat diamond trophies for overall winners in each of the 32 disciplines.

"I'm really looking forward to the Diamond League," Richards said. "I also want to run fast 400s and 200s. I think it's time to lower my American record and maybe go under 22 seconds in the 200."

Bolt was unsurprisingly named male athlete of the year after his record-breaking exploits in Berlin, where he smashed the 100m and 200m marks he set 12 months earlier in Beijing.

The Jamaican is one of the nine ambassadors for the Diamond League and will compete in at least seven competitions over 100m or 200m between the inaugural meeting in Doha on May 14 and the conclusion in Brussels on August 27.

"It's going to be awesome so people look out for it," said Bolt, who will have at least three head-to-head clashes with arch rivals Tyson Gay and Asafa Powell.

"The concept is good for more showdowns so I am really looking forward to it. It is good for the sport and it is going to be good for us to keep competing against each other."

Bolt is leaving it to his management team to organise his appearances but there are high hopes he will compete at either Gateshead on July 10, the London Grand Prix on August 13-14 or even both.