Three Kenyan athletes have earned nominations for the prestigious 2024 Track Athlete of the Year award, as revealed by World Athletics on Monday. Beatrice Chebet, Faith Kipyegon, and Emmanuel Wanyonyi are among the elite athletes recognized for their remarkable performances this year, which include triumphs at the Paris Olympic Games and other international competitions.
Beatrice Chebet’s nomination comes after a sensational 2024 season, during which the Kericho-born runner stunned the athletics world with her dominance in long-distance events. Chebet clinched two gold medals at the Paris Olympics, in the 5000m and 10,000m races, solidifying her place as one of the top athletes in the sport. Her crowning moment came in May when she shattered the long-standing 10,000m world record, clocking an astonishing 28:54.14 at a meet in Eugene, Oregon. This feat made her the first woman to break the 29-minute barrier in the event, surpassing Ethiopia’s Letesenbet Gidey’s previous record of 29:01.03, set in 2021. Chebet followed up this record-breaking performance with another historic run in Paris, where she won Kenya’s first-ever Olympic gold in the 10,000m, finishing in 30:43.25. The 24-year-old also claimed Olympic gold in the 5000m, beating out a tough field that included her compatriot Faith Kipyegon and Dutch rival Sifan Hassan.
Faith Kipyegon, who joins Chebet on the nominees list, has had an extraordinary year of her own, despite a late start to her season due to injury. The 30-year-old middle-distance sensation became the first athlete in history to win three consecutive 1500m Olympic gold medals, a feat she achieved with a dominant performance in Paris. Kipyegon’s brilliance extended beyond the Olympics, as she also rewrote the history books in the 1500m, breaking her own world record at the Paris Diamond League in July. Kipyegon clocked 3:49.04, shaving 0.07 seconds off the record she had set in 2023. Her record-breaking run was a testament to her resilience and unmatched ability in the 1500m, where she remains undefeated in major championships. She capped off her season with victories in several Wanda Diamond League events, ultimately securing the Diamond League trophy in the season finale in Brussels.
On the men’s side, 19-year-old Emmanuel Wanyonyi has emerged as Kenya’s brightest star in the 800m. Wanyonyi’s meteoric rise continued in 2024, with the youngster claiming Olympic gold in Paris, fulfilling the high expectations placed on him. Wanyonyi’s powerful performance in the 800m final underscored his growing reputation as the sport’s next big thing in middle-distance running. He capped his season by clinching the Diamond League title, further solidifying his place among the world’s best athletes. His nomination for the Track Athlete of the Year award places him alongside other stars such as Botswana’s Letsile Tebogo, Norway’s Jakob Ingebrigtsen, and the American trio of Rai Benjamin, Grant Holloway, and Noah Lyles.
The three Kenyan nominees will now await the results of the voting process, which is open to athletics fans on the World Athletics social media platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, and X, until October 27. With stellar performances across the board in 2024, the Kenyan trio has firmly etched their names into the conversation for global recognition, as they aim to claim one of the sport’s highest honors.
