Despite being inactive for most of the year, China sports icons Liu Xiang and Yao Ming lead the nominees for the 2009 CCTV Sports Personality of the Year award after the final list was announced on Tuesday.

Regarded as China's "Sports Oscars", the award honors the most outstanding group or individual in sports for the year. The final nominee list, which was decided by 200 judges, includes five candidates for each major award.

China's track and field super star Liu and NBA All-Star center Yao were among the finals five nominees for Special Contribution of the Year

Star hurdler Liu, who returned from a serious foot injury in September, was nominated for the attention he drew in his comeback to track and field. Houston Rockets center Yao, who is rehabilitating a foot injury, was selected for his purchase of the Shanghai Sharks basketball club and his contribution to his hometown team.

The other nominees in that category include women's volleyball legend Lang Ping, Hong Kong cyclist Wong Kam-po and men's triple jump Asian record holder Li Yanxi.

World champion swimmer Zhang Lin leads the nominees for the Best Male Athlete of the Year and will vie for the title which multiple badminton world champion Lin Dan, triple gymnastics Olympic gold medalist Zou Kai, weightlifting world champion Liao Hui and table tennis world champion Wang Hao.

On the women's side, world record holding swimmer Liu Zige, diving queen Guo Jingjing and world marathon champion Bai Xue are the leading candidates.

Zhang's coach, Chen Yinghong, and Liu's mentor, Jin Wei, are among the nominees for Best Coach of the Year.

The winners will be selected by 100 judges on Jan 16. The awards ceremony will be held that day at the Peking University Hall.