Faith Kipyegon, Beatrice Chebet, and Emmanuel Wanyonyi Among World Athletics Awards Nominees

Faith Kipyegon, Beatrice Chebet, and Emmanuel Wanyonyi have been named among this year’s elite group of nominees for the World Athletics Awards, recognizing the most exceptional track and field performances of the season.

World Athletics officially revealed the shortlisted athletes for the 2025 Women’s and Men’s Track Athlete of the Year awards, celebrating another incredible year for the sport that concluded with the World Championships in Tokyo.

Five athletes have been nominated in each of the two main track categories, with voting now underway to determine the top two finalists who will advance to the final round of selection.

Women’s Track Athlete of the Year Nominees

The women’s shortlist features an extraordinary lineup of athletes who dominated global competitions with record-breaking and championship-winning performances.

Leading the charge are Kenya’s Faith Kipyegon and American star Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, both of whom have set remarkable standards on the track this year.

Kipyegon, often hailed as the queen of middle-distance running, successfully defended her World 1500m title and also took home silver in the 5000m. Her brilliance this season was highlighted by a new world record in the 1500m, reinforcing her dominance in the event.

Meanwhile, McLaughlin-Levrone added another glittering chapter to her career by capturing World Championship gold in both the 400m and the 4x400m relay. She remained unbeaten throughout the season, including in the 400m hurdles, and clocked the second-fastest 400m time in history.

Dutch sensation Femke Bol also earned a nomination following her superb campaign that saw her win both the World and Diamond League 400m hurdles titles. She was undefeated in the event all season, registering the three fastest times of the year.

Kenya’s Beatrice Chebet joins the shortlist after an extraordinary double triumph at the World Championships, where she won gold in both the 5000m and 10,000m events. Her season reached historic heights when she broke the world record in the 5000m, solidifying her position as one of the best distance runners of her generation.

Rounding out the women’s nominees is Melissa Jefferson-Wooden, who showcased incredible sprinting versatility. She claimed three World Championship gold medals in the 100m, 200m, and 4x100m relay, while maintaining an undefeated streak in the 100m and recording the five fastest times of the year in the event.

Men’s Track Athlete of the Year Nominees

The men’s field is equally stacked, featuring athletes who redefined excellence across a variety of events in 2025.

American hurdler Rai Benjamin leads the list after an exceptional season where he captured the World 400m hurdles title. His year was marked by remarkable consistency, producing two of the three fastest times globally in the event.

France’s Jimmy Gressier also impressed with his long-distance mastery, securing World Championship gold in the 10,000m and a bronze medal in the 5000m. He capped off his strong season by taking home the Diamond League 3000m title.

Sprint superstar Noah Lyles continued his dominance by claiming World titles in the 200m and 4x100m relay, along with a bronze medal in the 100m. Unbeaten throughout the season in the 200m, Lyles concluded his year by winning yet another Diamond League crown.

In the hurdles, Cordell Tinch emerged as the standout 110m hurdler of the season, claiming both the World and Diamond League titles. He posted four of the top six fastest times globally, underlining his authority in the discipline.

Kenya’s young star Emmanuel Wanyonyi rounds off the men’s nominees after a remarkable season in the 800m. The 20-year-old claimed both the World and Diamond League championships, consistently producing world-class performances and registering four of the six fastest 800m times of the year.

Voting and Award Timeline

Fans across the globe now have a chance to help shape the outcome of the awards. Public voting to decide the two finalists in both the men’s and women’s track categories is currently open on World Athletics’ official Facebook, Instagram, and X (Twitter) pages.

The voting period will close on October 19, after which World Athletics will begin unveiling nominees for other major awards. The Field Athlete of the Year nominees will be announced on October 20, followed by the Out of Stadium Athlete of the Year nominees on October 27.

The winners of the three main categories, Track, Field, and Out of Stadium, will then compete for the ultimate honor of being crowned the World Athlete of the Year at the prestigious World Athletics Awards gala later in the year.

This multi-phase process ensures that athletes from every discipline receive recognition for their performances before the final global winners are revealed.