Explained: Why six stars were named World Athletes of the Year

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ATHLETICS Explained: Why six stars were named World Athletes of the Year

Festus Chuma 11:00 - 12.12.2023

World Athletics names six athletes of the year, breaking tradition to celebrate diversity and recognize excellence across various disciplines.

World Athletics made a groundbreaking change in its annual awards on Monday by naming not one, but six athletes as the World Athletes of the Year for 2023.

Faith Kipyegon, Noah Lyles, Armand "Mondo" Duplantis, Tigist Assefa, Kelvin Kiptum, and Yulimar Rojas were all honored during a gala held in Monaco.

This decision has left many viewers who followed the event on television across the globe surprised, as they were expecting separate awards for male and female athletes.

However, this change reflects the evolving landscape of athletics and the recognition of different skill sets across various disciplines.

Previously, World Athletics presented a single Athlete of the Year award for both men and women across all events.

The shift in the awards structure came after extensive feedback was received during the voting process.

"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," explained World Athletics President Sebastian Coe.

Faith Kipyegon made history by becoming the first Kenyan to win the Female Athlete of the Year award.

Kipyegon's remarkable achievements in 2023 include breaking world records in the 1500m, mile, and 5000m events.

Notably, she became the first woman to sweep gold medals in both the 1500m and 5000m at a single world championship.

On the men's side, Kelvin Kiptum made headlines with his outstanding performance in the Bank of America Chicago Marathon.

Running a blistering time of 2:00:35, Kiptum shattered the previous world record and became the first athlete to break the 2:01 barrier in a record-eligible marathon.

This 24-year-old Kenyan's dominance continued as he secured victory at the TCS London Marathon in April with a time of 2:01:25.

Noah Lyles, the American sprinting sensation, made history of his own by clinching victories in the 100m, 200m, and 4x100m events at the world championships held in August.

His incredible feat made him the first American to win the Male Athlete of the Year award since decathlete Ashton Eaton in 2015.

Lyles, who had been vying for this accolade for years, playfully joked with Armand "Mondo" Duplantis about Duplantis' previous world record feats that had eluded him.

Tigist Assefa stunned the world by breaking the women's marathon world record in Berlin in September, showcasing her exceptional endurance and speed.

Meanwhile, Yulimar Rojas's dominance in the triple jump was once again confirmed as she clinched both the world title and Diamond League title, extending her reign over the event for seven consecutive years.

The other finalists in this prestigious category included Femke Bol of the Netherlands, the world champion in the 400m hurdles, and Shericka Jackson of Jamaica, the world 200m champion.

Last season's winner, American Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, was unable to defend her title due to a minor knee issue, causing her to miss the world championships.

With the indoor track and field season set to commence in January, athletes are gearing up for another year of fierce competition. T

The next major event on the horizon is the U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials scheduled for February 3rd in Orlando. 

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