World marathon record holder Sebastian Sawe and Road Running Championships women’s half marathon champion Agnes Jebet Ngetich have been nominated for the prestigious World Athlete of the Year award. The two Kenyan stars are among 20 nominees named for the award, which will be announced at the World Athletics Awards gala on November 29 in Monaco. Their nomination comes after an impressive 2026 season.
Sawe had a remarkable year, shattering the mythical two-hour barrier at the London Marathon in April. Ngetich also had a standout year, winning the world half marathon title in a women-only world record of 1:05:15. In addition to her half marathon success, Ngetich won the World Cross Country Championships senior women’s title and ran world leads of 8:08.95 for 3,000m and 28:58 for 10km.
According to World Athletics, an eight-strong panel of statisticians, two members from World Athletics and one from each of the six area associations, selected the nominees. The panel considered athletes' performances throughout the year to create the list of 20 nominees, comprising 10 men and 10 women.
From the 20 nominees, a four-way vote will determine their final ranking from first to 10th. The voting, which closes on Saturday, October 17, at midnight, involves athletes who have competed at World Athletics Series events during 2026 and members of the media who have been accredited at World Athletics Series events in 2026.
In addition to athletes and media members, World Athletics Council members, commission members, athlete representatives, and World Athletics Series event local organising committee chairs will also participate in the voting. Diamond League, World Indoor Tour Gold and Continental Tour Gold meeting directors, member federation presidents, official partners, and World Athletics staff will also contribute to the final vote.
Sawe faces stiff competition in the men's category, including USA sprinter Kenneth Bednarek, who achieved a sprint double at the Ultimate Championship, and Italian Andy Diaz Hernandez, who won World Indoor, Diamond League and European triple jump titles. Other notable nominees include Brazil’s Alison Dosantos, who set a world 400m hurdles record, and Sri Lanka’s Rumesh Tharanga, who won multiple javelin titles.
The six finalists, three men and three women, will be announced on November 10 and 11, and will be invited to Monaco for the World Athletics Awards on November 29. The winners will be announced live on stage at the gala. Key achievements of the nominees include Sawe's record-breaking marathon time and Ngetich's multiple world-leading performances in various events.
Key points
- Sebastian Sawe and Agnes Jebet Ngetich are among 20 nominees for the World Athlete of the Year award.
- The winners of the award will be announced at the World Athletics Awards gala on November 29 in Monaco.
- The nominees were selected by an eight-strong panel of statisticians and representatives from World Athletics and its area associations.
