The prize - considered the most prestigious award in rowing - celebrates athletes from throughout history who have had an outstanding career in the sport.

All of those shortlisted have been selected following an international nomination process, including input from the public.

Britain's finalists include Dame Katheine Grainger, who won her fifth Olympic medal at Rio 2016 by claiming silver in the double sculls with Victoria Thornley.

The Scot, Britain's most decorated female Olympian, won gold in the class at London 2012 with Anna Watkins and boasts three more Olympic silver medals.

Andrew Triggs Hodge, a triple Olympic champion, is also nominated after his coxless four golds at Beijing 2008 and London 2012 and eights success at Rio 2016.

Greg Searle, who won Olympic gold for Britain in the coxed pair at Barcelona 1992, is also in the frame alongside compatriot Tom Aggar, who becomes the first Para-rower to be shortlisted.

Aggar won the singles sculls title at the Paralympic Games in Beijing in 2008 and added bronze in Rio, and is also a four-time world champion. 

The American finalists are headed by Eleanor Logan who won her third consecutive Olympic women's eights gold in Rio.

Her team-mate Caryn Davies is also in the frame after her eights golds at Beijing 2008 and London 2012, in addition to her silver at Athens 2004.

The award is named after the late President of FISA.

A winner is selected each year by the Thomas Keller Medal Committee, which includes Keller's son Dominik.

Five factors are taken into consideration when awarding the Thomas Keller Medal, including success at international level, "type" of career, technical mastery of the sport, sportsmanship and "legendary" aspect.

Last year, Caroline and Georgina Evers-Swindell of New Zealand both became recipients.

The identical twins formed a successful women's double sculls crew, winning two Olympic titles in a career that saw them dominate their field through much of the 2000s.

Other previous winners include Slovenia's Iztok Cop, Denmark's Eskild Ebbesen, Czech Republic's Vaclav Chalupa, Estonia's Jueri Jaanson, Australia's James Tomkins, Germany's Kathrin Boron, Romania's Elisabeta Lipa and Britain's Sir Steve Redgrave.

This year's winner will be announced on June 29 and he or she will be honoured at the World Rowing Cup in Lucerne in Switzerland on July 8.

The medal is 18-carat gold.