Athletics: 3 Africans Among the Athletes of the Year.
Kenyan middle-distance runner Faith Kipyegon, marathon record holders Kelvin Kiptum of Kenya and Tigst Assefa of Ethiopia were among the six " Athletes of the Year " honored in Monaco on Monday night by the International Association of Athletics Federations ( World Athletics ), which also paid tribute to the marathon records that were broken this season.
World Athletics usually names one man and one woman as " Athlete of the Year ," but this year it decided to award more prizes than usual, highlighting six athletes for their performances on the track, road, and in field events.
The Nominees
Faith Kipyegon, 29, was crowned champion in the " track " category after breaking three world athletics records in 2023, in the 1.500m (3 min 49 sec 11), mile (approximately 1.609 meters, in 4:07.64) and 5.000m (14:05.20).
“It was a wonderful year.”
“I never expected to do what I did, break three world records and win two gold medals,” Kipyegon said.
At the World Athletics Championships in Budapest, Faith Kipyegon also became the first woman to do the 1500/5000 double.
American Noah Lyles, the fastest man in the world this year, was also honored in the " track " category after dominating the world championship by winning the 100m, 200m and 4x100m at the World Athletics Championships in Budapest.
“The 100 m was the most important because I always knew I was the fastest man on the planet, but no one would believe it without this title.”
The sprinter, more specialized in the 200 m, reacted.
Next year, the 26-year-old North American wants to win the Olympic gold that is missing from his CV, having already won six world titles in athletics and breaking the 200 m world record (19,19 seconds by Usain Bolt against a better mark personal 19,31).
Swedish athlete Mondo Duplantis raised his world record in pole vault to 6,23m this year, and Venezuelan Yulimar Rojas, world champion and holder of the world record in the triple jump (15.74m in 2022), were crowned in the " field event " category.
Kelvin Kiptum of Kenya and Tigst Assefa of Ethiopia were rewarded in the " road " category for their stratospheric world marathon records of 2:00:35 and 2:11:53, respectively. Kiptum aims to run even faster and get closer to the mythical two-hour barrier at the Rotterdam Marathon (Netherlands) in April next year.
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Picture: © 2023 Filippo Monteforte / Getty Images
