The international athletics governing body World Athletics has nominated three African athletes for this year’s Women’s World Athlete of the Year award.
Kenya’s Faith Kipyegon and Tigist Assefa and Gudaf Tsegay, both Ethiopian, are among the 11 female athletes nominated to this year’s awards, after displaying remarkable performances in this year’s athletics season.
Tigist won the Berlin marathon in September, setting a new women’s marathon world record.
Gudaf also won the world 10,000m and the Diamond League 5,000m, in which she set a world record.
Athletics analysts are backing Ms Kipyegon as the strong favourite to win this year’s award after the 29-year-old’s dominant year, during which she set three new world records.
According to Wanda Diamond League, Ms Kipyegon’s record-breaking season has positioned her as “the first athlete in Diamond League history to break a world record in multiple disciplines and the first to break more than one world record in a single season”.
Kenyan-born Winfred Yavi, who switched her nationality to represent Bahrain, is also in contention for the prestigious award.
The winners will be announced on 11 December after tallying of votes cast by fans and World Athletics officials.
