Faith Kipyegon, Noah Lyles among six crowned at expanded World Athletics Awards
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Faith Kipyegon and Noah Lyles were named the women’s and men’s Track Athletes of the Year by World Athletics.
PHOTOS: REUTERS
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PARIS – American sprinter Noah Lyles and Kenya’s Faith Kipyegon were named the men’s and women’s Track Athletes of the Year by World Athletics on Dec 11.
Lyles was recognised for the three gold medals he won at the world championships in Budapest.
After an all-conquering 2023, the 26-year-old will now turn his focus to 2024’s Paris Olympics
In Budapest, he scorched to gold in the 100m in 9.83sec
“I’ve always known I was the fastest man on the planet but no one would have believed me unless I had the 100m title,” Lyles said.
“That changed the way people have viewed me a little bit, especially outside of the sport,” he added.
Kipyegon, 29, clinched the women’s prize after setting three world records in the 1,500m,
“It was a magnificent year. I didn’t expect what I did this year, breaking three world records and winning two gold medals,” she said.
“It was a historical year for me and I’m very, very happy and I know it’s not only what I did for myself but I know I inspired many young girls out there,” she added.
Sweden’s Armand Duplantis won the men’s Field Athlete of the Year award after he improved his pole vault world record to 6.23m.
Yulimar Rojas of Venezuela took the women’s field award after winning her fourth world outdoor triple jump title.
Awards were also given to Ethiopia’s Tigist Assefa who sliced more than two minutes off the women’s marathon time in Berlin in September, the biggest single improvement on the mark for 40 years.
The equivalent “out of stadia” award for men went to Kelvin Kiptum, the Kenyan who ran a world record 2:00:35 in the Chicago Marathon in October,
(Clockwise from top left) Armand ‘Mondo’ Duplantis, Yulimar Rojas, Tigist Assefa and Kelvin Kiptum.
PHOTOS: AFP, REUTERS
“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 at the Monaco ceremony.
“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.”
The winners in 2022
At the 2023 awards, Kenya swept the Rising Stars awards.
Teenagers Faith Cherotich and Emmanuel Wanyonyi both medalled at the World Championships in August, with Cherotich claiming bronze in the 3,000m steeplechase and Wanyonyi securing silver in the 800m.
Russian and Belarusian athletes were conspicuously absent from the awards, and Coe reiterated last week they will also be absent from Paris 2024.
The International Olympic Committee opened the door on Dec 8 to Russian and Belarusian athletes being able to compete in Paris as neutrals,
But Coe said: “You may well see some neutral athletes from Russia and Belarus in Paris, it just won’t be in athletics. The position that our sport took and has consistently taken is unchanged.
“It’s a settled position. It’s a position the (World Athletics) council took, it’s one endorsed by the executive board and, on two separate global occasions, it’s been endorsed almost unanimously by the athletics family.” AFP, REUTERS
World Athlete of the Year 2023 winners:
Women’s track: Faith Kipyegon, Kenya, 1,500m/mile/5,000m
Women’s field: Yulimar Rojas, Venezuela, triple jump
Women’s out of stadia: Tigist Assefa, Ethiopia, marathon
Men’s track: Noah Lyles, US, 100m/200m
Men’s field: Armand Duplantis, Sweden, pole vault
Men’s out of stadia: Kelvin Kiptum, Kenya, marathon
