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The Kenyan trio of Hellen Obiri, Faith Kipyegon and Peres Jepchirchir are among the 10 nominees for the 2020 World Athletes of the Year Award – Women.
The winner will be declared during the 2020 World Athletics Awards to be held virtually on December 5.
Obiri, the 5,000m world champion, was undefeated in three races over 3000m and 5000m during this season’s Diamond League and ran a world-leading 8: 22.54 over 3000m in Doha on 25 September.
Kipyegon also had a great year unbeaten in five races at all distances and also ran world-leading performances in the 800m (1: 57.68) and 1000m (2: 29.15) in Doha.
Peres Jepchirchir twice broke the half marathon world record for a women-only race (1:05:34 and 1:05:16) at the Prague Half Marathon and at the World Half Marathon Championships. No Kenyan woman has ever emerged as the World Athlete of the Year despite her dominance in long distance running.
On Monday, Timothy Cheruiyot from Kenya was shortlisted for the men’s award.
World Athletics revealed on Tuesday that the list of 10 nominees for the Women’s World Athlete of the Year was selected by an international panel of athletic experts comprising representatives from the six continental areas of World Athletics.
“The nominations reflect the remarkable variety of exceptional performances the sport has witnessed this year, despite the challenges presented by the global Covid-19 pandemic,” said a statement on the World Athletics website.
The Kenyan trio will definitely face stiff competition from Muir, Gidey, Ababel Yeshaneh and Ethiopian-born Dutch European record holder in the 10,000 meters, Sifan Hassan. Also watch out for Jamaican sprint queen Elaine Thompson-Herah.
