African Excellence: Faith Kipyegon leads Kenyan dominance at the 2023 World Athletics Awards

Kenya's pride Faith Kipyegon

African Excellence: Faith Kipyegon leads Kenyan dominance at the 2023 World Athletics Awards

Funmilayo Fameso 00:43 - 12.12.2023

Find out all the winners of the 2023 World Athletics Awards, led by Faith Kipyegon and Noah Lyles.

The 2023 World Athletics Awards witnessed the excellence of African athletes as Faith Kipyegon led Kenyan dominance of the award categories.

The World Athletics rearranged the awards categories this year by naming six athletes in Tigist Assefa, Mondo Duplantis, Kelvin Kiptum, Faith Kipyegon, Noah Lyles, and Yulimar Rojas as the World Athletes of the Year, against just two categories (Men and Women) in the previous years.

Faith Kipyegon makes history for Kenya, wins 2023 World Athletics Female Athlete of the Year
Faith Kipyegon led Kenya's dominance at the 2023 World Athletics Awards

According to the athletics body, this adaptation follows the feedback received during the voting process. Many sensational performances – including an extraordinary 23 world records* – were achieved in 2023.

Kipyegon and Lyles crowned Track Athletes of the Year

World 1500m Record holder Kipyegon was announced the Female Track Athlete of the Year, winning ahead of Jamaica's world 200m champion Shericka Jackson, and Netherland's world 400m Hurdles champion, Femke Bol.

Faith Kipyegon shattered the women's 1500m world record in 2023

The double world 1500m and 5000m champion had an outstanding season highlighted by breaking Genzebe Dibaba’s World Record (WR) with a sensational time of 3:49.11. This record set the pace for a clutch of WRs she would later run in the 5000m and one mile, making her one of the most outstanding athletes of the year.

Meanwhile, triple world champion Lyles was crowned the Male Track Athlete of the Year.

The American speedster cemented his place as one of the top sprinters in history. On track, he maintained his position as world 200m leader for the sixth consecutive year and was undefeated in six 200m finals. Further proving his versatility, he closed the season as the joint world leader in the 100m.

Noah Lyles dominated the sprint events in 2023

Rojas and Duplantis reign supreme in the field events

Venezuela's Yulimar Rojas, having had another impeccable season was named the Women's Field Athlete of the Year.

Rojas dominated the triple jump event for the third consecutive season, becoming the world and Diamond League champion.

As the reigning Male Athlete of the Year, Duplantis showed beyond doubt this season why he retained the title as the Men's Field Athlete of the Year.

The Swedish superstar pole vaulter improved on his world record indoors and outdoors, successfully defended his world title, and racked up another 20 clearances at 6.00m or higher.

Duplantis also successfully defended his Diamond League title with an improvement on his WR, clearing 6.23m.

Kiptum and Assefa dominate the out of stadia awards

Ethiopia's Tigist Assefa and Kenya's Kelvin Kiptum were declared the winners of the Women and Men's World Athlete of the Year for out of stadia events.

Tigist Assefa named Women's Athlete of the Year for out of stadia events
Ethiopia's Tigist Assefa

Assefa's moment of the year came at the BMW Berlin Marathon in September, when the 27-year-old ran 2:11:53, smashing the world record by two minutes and 14 seconds and achieving the biggest single improvement on the mark for 40 years.

She finished almost six minutes ahead of her nearest rival after clocking 1:06:20 for the first half and an even faster 1:05:33 for the second half – a time that just seven women have beaten this year in a standalone half marathon.

For Kiptum, it took just two races for the long-distance runner to run his way into the history books.

First, he won the London Marathon with the second-fastest time in history in 2:01:25. Less than six months later, he did the unthinkable by breaking Eliud Kipchoge's WR at the Chicago Marathon with an incredible 2:00.35, taking 34 seconds off the previous record.

Kelvin Kiptum became the new marathon World Record holder in Chicago

By doing this, the 23-year-old became the first man to break the 2:01 barrier. His ground-breaking run has already put him in conversations as the face of the marathon in the coming years.

Cherotich and Wanyonyi clinch Rising Stars of Year 2023

Kenya's teenage sensations Emmanuel Wanyonyi and Faith Cherotich were named the Male and Female Rising Stars of the Year.

Wanyonyi secured an 800m silver medal at the World Championships in Budapest. In addition, the 2021 world U20 gold medallist became Diamond League champion this year, claiming the trophy with a Personal Best of 1:42.80. He also formed part of Kenya’s victorious world cross-country mixed relay team.

Kenyan middle-distance runner Emmanuel Wanyonyi competes men s 800 m during Golden Spike, international athletic meet of Continental Tour - Gold category in Ostrava, Czech Republic, May 31, 2022.

Consequently, his compatriot Faith Cherotich claimed the 3000m steeplechase bronze medal in Budapest.

Cherotich, who won world U20 bronze in 2021 and gold in 2022, also moved to second on the world U20 all-time list with 8:59.65 to finish third in the Diamond League Final in Eugene, while she finished fourth in the U20 race at the World Cross Country Championships.

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