Multiple Olympic and world champion, Faith Kipyegon of Kenya, is delighted to be nominated once again for the 2024 World Athletics Women’s Track Athlete of the Year, but reckons that competition is stiff this time around.
Yesterday, Kipyegon, Olympic champions Beatrice Chebet and Emmanuel Wanyonyi were shortlisted for the 2024 Women and Men’s Track Athlete of the Year awards.
Kipyegon and American Noah Lyles were named Women and Men's World Athletes of the Year in 2023, and have both been nominated again.
“It’s a great feeling to be nominated again, but as you can see all the six nominees staged incredible performances this year, hence each has an equal opportunity,” said Kipyegon, who made history as the first woman to win the Olympic 1,500m title thrice in Paris this year.
“All I want is to keep on inspiring all sportsmen and women across the world that nothing can deter them from achieving what they want through hard work,” said the 30-year-old Kipyegon, who will start her new season training at the end of November.
Kipyegon shattered her 1,500m world record at the FBK Games in Hengelo, the Netherlands on July 7 this year.
Kipyegon claimed the world record for the first time on June 2, last year in Florence, Italy, winning in 3:49.11, to erase the previous time of 3:50.07 set by Ethiopian Genzebe Dibaba on July 17, 2015.
Chebet claimed a historic double in 10,000m and 5,000m at the Paris Olympic Games, having warmed up for the Summer Games with a world record in 10,000m at the Prefontaine Classic on May 25 in Oregon, USA.
Chebet clocked a blistering 28:55.14 to win and break the previous record of 29:01.03 by Letesenbet Gidey of Ethiopia set in 2021 in Hengelo.
She became the first woman in history to run the 10,000m under 29 minutes, and the first Kenyan woman to hold the world record over the distance.
The Kenyan duo are up against Olympic 100m and wild indoor champion, Julien Alfred, from Saint Lucia and American Sydney McLaughlin, the Olympic 400m hurdles and 4x400m champion.
Also in contention are Marileidy Paulino, the Olympic and Diamond League 400m champion from the Dominican Republic, and American Gabby Thomas, the Olympic 200m and 4x100m champion.
Wanyonyi ensured Kenya retained the Olympic 800m title for the fifth successive time and also retained his Diamond League 800m Trophy to cap off an impressive season.
“It’s humbling to be nominated for the third time, having won the Rising Star Award last year,” said Wanyonyi, adding that he is not under pressure to win considering that those nominated performed equally well in the just ended season.
The 20-year-old is up against Rai Benjamin, the American Olympic 400m hurdles and 4x400m champion, and his compatriot Noah Lyles, who claimed gold in 100m and bronze in 200m at the Paris Olympics.
Also eyeing the same accolades are the Olympic 200m champion Letsile Tebogo from Botswana, Olympic 110m hurdles champion Grant Holloway, who is also the World indoor 60m hurdles champion and world record holder, and Norwegian Olympic 5,000m champion, Jakob Ingebrigtsen.
The vote to determine the Track Athlete of the Year finalists is open on World Athletics social media platforms and will close on October 27.
