BREAKING: World Athletics changes system for Athlete of the Year awards, names first set of nominees” as the toughest goes for the imidiate lead..
In addition to the three distinct awards for women and men in track, field, and out-of-stadium competitions, World Athletics will also present the overall women’s and men’s World Athlete of the Year titles this year.
Voting will determine two finalists in each category. Once the finalists have been determined, a fan vote will open on the World Athletics Inside Track platform to help determine the overall Athletes of the Year.
An international expert panel compiles the list of nominees in each category.
The field award nominees were announced Monday, all of them Paris Olympic gold medalists:
Women’s Field Athlete of the Year Nominees
Valarie Allman (USA, discus)
Tara Davis-Woodhall (USA, long jump)
Nina Kennedy (AUS, pole vault)
Yaroslava Mahuchikh (UKR, pole vault)
Nafi Thiam (BEL, heptathlon)
Men’s Field Athlete of the Year Nominees
Ryan Crouser (USA, shot put)
Jordan Diaz (ESP, triple jump)
Mondo Duplantis (SWE, pole vault)
Ethan Katzberg (CAN, hammer)
Miltiadis Tentoglou (GRE, long jump)
Finalists for track, field and out-of-stadium finalists are determined by a three-way voting process: World Athletics Council vote (50%), World Athletics family vote (25%) and public vote through Facebook, X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram (25%).
A like on Facebook and Instagram or a retweet on X counts as one vote.
Voting for the field finalists runs through Sunday.
The nominees announcements and voting starts for track and out-of-stadium will be the next two Mondays.
All of the finalists will be announced Nov. 4, which is also when fan voting opens for the overall awards.
Last year, World Athletics divided its World Athlete of the Year awards into three categories for the first time.
The 2023 winners were American sprinter Noah Lyles (men’s track), Kenyan distance runner Faith Kipyegon (women’s track), Duplantis (men’s field), Venezuelan triple jumper Yulimar Rojas (women’s field), Kenyan marathoner Kelvin Kiptum (men’s out of stadium) and Ethiopian marathoner Tigist Assefa (women’s out of stadium).
Before 2023, the award winners were one male athlete and one female athlete across all events.
The World Athletics Awards also include the Rising Star awards, Coaching Achievement Award, Woman of the Year, Photograph of the Year, Member Federation Award and President’s Award.
