Kenya faced disappointment as Olympic champions Sifan Hassan and Letsile Tebogo clinched the prestigious World Athletes of the Year 2024 titles at the World Athletics Awards gala in Monaco, France, over the weekend.
Ruth Chepng’etich, Kenya’s marathon record holder, was the nation’s only finalist, nominated for the Out of Stadium Female Athlete of the Year. Despite high hopes, she fell short, leaving the country without an award.
Hassan and Tebogo led a glittering event honoring six athletes across track, field, and out-of-stadium categories before revealing the overall winners.
Botswana’s Letsile Tebogo, the Olympic 200m champion, was named Men’s Track Athlete of the Year, while Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone of the USA claimed the women’s track honor.
Hassan, now representing the Netherlands, won the women’s out-of-stadium category, and Ethiopia’s Tamirat Tola, Olympic Men’s Marathon champion, secured the men’s award. Field athlete accolades went to Sweden’s Mondo Duplantis and Ukraine’s Yaroslava Mahuchikh.
Full List of Winners:
- Women’s World Athlete of the Year: Sifan Hassan (NED)
- Men’s World Athlete of the Year: Letsile Tebogo (BOT)
- Women’s Track Athlete of the Year: Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone (USA)
- Women’s Field Athlete of the Year: Yaroslava Mahuchikh (UKR)
- Women’s Out of Stadium Athlete: Sifan Hassan (NED)
- Men’s Track Athlete of the Year: Letsile Tebogo (BOT)
- Men’s Field Athlete of the Year: Mondo Duplantis (SWE)
- Men’s Out of Stadium Athlete: Tamirat Tola (ETH)
- Women’s Rising Star: Sembo Almayew (ETH)
- Men’s Rising Star: Mattia Furlani (ITA)
Speeches of Triumph:
Hassan expressed her surprise and gratitude:
“I never thought I was going to win this one. This year was crazy. All the athletes have been amazing. I’m really grateful. What more can I say?”
Tebogo, celebrating the African spirit, said:
“It feels amazing to know the fans are always there for us. It’s not just about the team but also the fans who push us to achieve greatness. Hearing my name was a real surprise.”
World Athletics President Sebastian Coe praised the winners:
“These athletes represent the very best of our sport and have redefined the limits of athletic performance this year. I congratulate them and all the nominees for inspiring us with their incredible feats.”
Kenya, despite its absence on the winner’s list, remains hopeful for future accolades as it continues to produce world-class athletes.
