Kipyegon, Chebet and Wanyonyi nominated for World Athletics awards

From left: Olympic champions Beatrice Chebet, Faith Kipyegon and Emmanuel Wanyonyi. [AFP]

Kenya’s golden stars have been nominated for the 2025 World Athletics track athletes of the year.

After storming to historic victories in a World Championships year, four-time world 1500m champion Faith Kipyegon, double world champion (5000m and 10,000m) Beatrice Chebet and world 800m gold medallist Emmanuel Wanyonyi are the three Kenyans nominated for the prestigious awards.

The golden girls, Kipyegon and Chebet were on Monday nominated for the women’s track athlete of the year while Wanyonyi is in the men’s category.

Kipyegon and Chebet will be joining Dutch woman Femke Bol,a world and Diamond League 400m hurdles champion, world 100m, 200m and 4x100m champion Melissa Jefferson-Wooden of USA and her countrywoman Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone – a world 400m and 4x400m champion in the race for the women’s track athlete of the year.

According to the global governing body, World Athletics, the nominees will be voted for to select the finalists.

“There are five nominees for these two categories, and a vote will take place to identify the two finalists for each. The nominations reflect some of the standout performances achieved during another memorable year for the sport, which peaked with the World Athletics Championships Tokyo 25,” World Athletics said in a statement.

On the other hand, Wanyonyi was nominated alongside world 400m hurdles champion Rai Benjamin of USA, his compatriot, Noah Lyles (world 200m and 4x100m champion and 100m bronze medallist and World and Diamond League 110m hurdles champion Cordell Tinch as well as world 10,000m champion and 5000m bronze medallist Jimmy Gressier (France) in the race for the men’s track athlete of 2025.

World Athletics said athletics enthusiasts across the world will vote for their favourite stars through social media platforms including Facebook, Instagram and X before October 19.

According to the global body, the nominees for the Field Athlete of the Year awards will be announced on next Monday while those for the Out of Stadium Athlete of the Year awards will be made public on October 27.

“The overall women's and men's World Athlete of the Year award winners will be selected from among the track, field and out of stadium category winners,” said World Athletics.