Kenya’s Olympic champions Beatrice Chebet, Faith Kipyegon, and Emmanuel Wanyonyi along with Botswanan champion Letsile Tebogo have been nominated for the 2024 Men and Women’s World Athletics Track Athlete of the Year awards.
Chebet, who claimed a double in 10,000metres and 5,000m at the Paris Olympic Games, and Kipyegon, who made history as the first woman to win the Olympic 1,500m title thrice, are among six nominees for the Women’s Track Athlete of the Year.
Chebet and Kipyegon set new world records in 10,000m and 1,500m respectively during the season.
The Kenyan duo face among others
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, besides retaining his Diamond League 800m Trophy.
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.
Olympic 200m champion Letsile Tebogo of Botswana is the other African nominated.
Also eying the same accolades are Olympic 110m hurdles champion Grant Holloway, who is also the World Indoor 60m hurdles champion, and world record, and Norwegian Olympic 5,000m champion, Jakob Ingebrigtsen.
The vote to determine the Track Athlete of the Year finalists is now open on World Athletics social media platforms and will close on October 27 with nominees for the Out of Stadium Athlete of the Year awards being announced on October 28.
The nominees for the Field Athlete of the Year awards were announced on October 14.
The athletes were nominated after their standout performances at the Paris Olympic Games, the World Athletics Indoor Championships, and the Diamond League among other one-day meeting circuits and other events around the world.
The winners will be unveiled during the World Athletics gala awards ceremony in December in Monaco.
Kipyegon and Lyles were named women’s and men’s 2023 World Athletes of the Year, while Wanyonyi and Faith Cherotich claimed the Rising Stars awards.
The late Kelvin Kiptum won men’s Out of Stadium Athlete of the Year.
The nominees for 2024 Women’s Track Athlete of the Year:
Julien Alfred, Saint Lucia
• Olympic 100m champion
• World indoor 60m champion
Beatrice Chebet, Kenya
• Olympic 5000m and 10,000m champion
• World 10,000m record
Faith Kipyegon, Kenya
• Olympic 1500m champion
• World 1500m record
Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, USA
• Olympic 400m hurdles and 4x400m champion
• World 400m hurdles record
Marileidy Paulino, Dominican Republic
• Olympic 400m champion
• Diamond League 400m champion
Gabby Thomas, USA
• Olympic 200m champion
• Olympic 4x100m and 4x400m champion
The nominees for 2024 Men’s Track Athlete of the Year are (in alphabetical order):
Rai Benjamin, USA
• Olympic 400m hurdles and 4x400m champion
• World 400m hurdles leader
Grant Holloway, USA
• Olympic 110m hurdles champion
• World indoor 60m hurdles champion and world record
Jakob Ingebrigtsen, Norway
• Olympic 5000m champion
• World 3000m record
Noah Lyles, USA
• Olympic 100m champion
• Olympic 200m bronze
Letsile Tebogo, Botswana
• Olympic 200m champion
• World 200m leader
Emmanuel Wanyonyi, Kenya
• Olympic 800m champion
• Diamond League 800m champion
