The IAAF is this year celebrating 100 years of existence, and though never one who needed a real reason to party, Bolt is looking to make it a big weekend at the glitzy affair in Barcelona, Spain.
Bolt has the company of Moroccan middle-distance legend Hicham El Guerrouj as the only athletes with three such awards to their name.
El Guerrouj won his awards from 2001-2003, while Bolt's triumphs came in 2008, 2009 and last year.
On Saturday, though, the 26-year-old could secure another first. It will not be an easy acquisition for the man who successfully defended his Olympic 100m and 200m titles at the London Games a few months ago.
He will be up against it with the smooth-hurdling Aries Merritt and the indomitable David Rudisha also in contention for one of the closest IAAF Male AOY races in years.
Nonetheless, notwithstanding his only two losses - to training partner Yohan Blake at the Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association/Supreme Ventures National Senior Championships earlier this year - this ranks as one of Bolt's best seasons since his campaign of domination started in 2008.
The powerful sprinter followed up his London exploits, which also included a blistering anchor leg - reportedly clocked at 8.70; matching Asafa Powell's 2008 Beijing Olympic split - with top honours in the 100m for the rich Samsung Diamond League series.
Individual world records
Both Meritt and Rudisha will take individual world records to the table; Merritt's determined and season-long assault on the 110m hurdles world record finally bearing dividends with a new mark of 12.80.
Replacing the old record of 12.87, Merritt's mark followed an amazing eight sub-13 seconds clockings this year and tucks in nicely with his Olympic, World Indoor and Diamond League titles.
Rudisha has had a stranglehold on his 800m pet event for some time and broke new ground at the Olympic Games, becoming the first man to dip below one minute, 41 seconds with a 1:40.91 time which betters Wilson Kipketer's 15-year record of 1:41.11.
Some track and field aficionados rate Rudisha's performance as the best single run at the Olympic Games in London, leaving the Kenyan star with a honest shot at upstaging Bolt and Merritt when the votes are tallied in a few days.
- Andre Lowe