Brazil’s blind footballer Ricardinho has been shortlisted after helping the country to their fifth World Championship title.

He ended as the tournament top scorer by finding the net on 10 occasions, with Brazil ultimately winning the final 2-0 against rivals Argentina in Madrid.

Ricardinho’s compatriot Petrucio Ferreira has also been nominated, following the athletics star lowering his T47 100 metres world record by clocking 10.50 seconds at the Paris Grand Prix.

He is one of five Para-athletics athletes shortlisted, with Chile’s Francisca Mardones in contention for the award after her Americas record throw of 6.93m in the women’s F54 shot put at the Berlin Grand Prix.

Puerto Rico’s Sean Gerena won a silver medal in the men’s T36 long jump at the Arizona Grand Prix, marking his country’s best performance at the event.

Costa Rican sprinter Sherman Guity won two bronze medals in Arizona, only one year after having his left foot amputated.

United States’ Daniel Romanchuk is also among the contenders for the monthly prize, following two world records in two weeks.

He achieved a time of 1min 29.66sec in the men’s T54 800 metres, following on from achieving a mark of 9:44.84 in the 5,000m event.

Mexico’s Diego Lopez has also been included in the shortlist with the swimmer having set a world record of 1:32.83 in the men’s S3 100m backstroke at the Berlin World Series.

He won two golds, one silver and one bronze at the event.

The shortlist is completed by Argentina’s Gustavo Fernandez, following his first Super Series title by beating Belgium’s Joachim Gerard 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 in the final of the BNP Paribas Open de France.

The nominations are compiled from submissions by National Paralympic Committees from across the continent.

The public are invited to vote for their winner via the APC homepage until July 10.