Four African athletes are among the 20 nominees for the 2026 World Athlete of the Year award. They are Ethiopia’s Tigst Assefa, Kenya’s Agnes Ngetich, Botswana’s Collen Kebinatshipi and Kenya’s Sabastian Sawe, according to the Confederation of African Athletics (CAA).
In the women's category, Tigst Assefa has been recognized for her outstanding marathon performances, particularly her victories in Berlin and London. In the British capital, the Ethiopian athlete set a women-only world record of 2 hours, 15 minutes and 41 seconds.
Fellow African athlete Agnes Ngetich is also among the contenders for the title. The Kenyan distinguished herself by winning the World Half Marathon Championship, setting a women-only world record of 1 hour, 5 minutes and 15 seconds. She also claimed the world cross-country title.
In the men's category, Botswana's Collen Kebinatshipi has been nominated following a remarkable season highlighted by his victory in the 400 meters at the World Athletics Ultimate Championships, clocking 43.39 seconds, as well as his Diamond League triumph. He also broke the competition record three times, according to the CAA.
Kenya's Sabastian Sawe completes the African quartet. Winner of the London Marathon in 1 hour, 59 minutes and 30 seconds, he became the first man to break the two-hour barrier in a record-eligible marathon.
A total of 20 athletes, equally divided between the women's and men's categories, are competing for the individual honors. The three finalists in each category will be announced on November 10 and 11.
The winners will be revealed on November 29 in Monaco during the World Athletics Awards ceremony, organized by World Athletics, the international governing body for athletics.
