MONACO:

Six athletes – Tigist Assefa, Mondo Duplantis, Kelvin Kiptum, Faith Kipyegon, Noah Lyles and Yulimar Rojas – have been announced as World Athletes of the Year for 2023.

The world champions and world record-breakers were the final winners to be revealed as part of the World Athletics Awards 2023 yesterday following confirmation of this year’s Rising Stars: world 3000m steeplechase bronze medallist Faith Cherotich and world 800 metres silver medallist Emmanuel Wanyonyi.

According to World Athletics the adaptation of the World Athlete of the Year honours awarded this year follows feedback received during the voting process. Many sensational performances, including an extraordinary 23 world records, were achieved in 2023. When it came to compiling the votes, athletes, fans and World Athletics Family members commented that it was incredibly hard to limit the vote to just one athlete, because of the various disciplines and the vast differences in skill sets required. As a result, for 2023 the World Athlete of the Year awards were divided into three event categories: track, field and out of stadia.

“The depth of talent and the outstanding performances in our sport this year more than justify the expansion of the World Athletics Awards to recognise the accomplishments by these six athletes across a range of disciplines,” said World Athletics President Sebastian Coe. “Our World Athletes of the Year alone have achieved seven world records between them in 2023, as well as a host of world titles and major wins, so it is only fitting that they be recognised as the Athletes of the Year in their respective fields. Jamaica’s world 200m champion Shericka Jackson was among the five nominees for the Women’s World Athlete of the Year award.

World Athletes of the Year for 2023

• Women’s track: Faith Kipyegon, Kenya, 1500m/mile/5000m

• Women’s field: Yulimar Rojas, Venezuela, triple jump

• Women’s out of stadia: Tigist Assefa, Ethiopia, marathon

• Men’s track: Noah Lyles, USA, 100m/200m

• Men’s field: Mondo Duplantis, Sweden, pole vault

• Men’s out of stadia: Kelvin Kiptum, Kenya, marathon

Assefa, Duplantis, Kiptum and Kipyegon set world records in their respective events in 2023, while all six World Athletes of the Year secured world titles or major marathon wins.

World Under-20 gold medallists Kenyans Faith Cherotich (3000m steeplechase and Emmanuel Wanyonyi (800m) were named Rising Stars of 2023. The Kenyan teenagers both won medals at the World Athletics Championships in Budapest, Cherotich claiming bronze in the 3000m steeplechase and Wanyonyi securing silver in the 800m.

– World Athletics