World Athletics Reveals 20-Athlete Shortlist for 2026 Athlete of the Year Honors
World Athletics announced the 20 nominees for the 2026 World Athlete of the Year awards, setting up a global vote ahead of the annual ceremony in Monaco on November 29. Selected by an international panel of athletics experts, the list features 10 women and 10 men whose standout performances spanned the inaugural World Athletics Ultimate Championship, World Athletics Series events, Diamond League circuits, and Label road races throughout the season, according to World Athletics.
Global Breakdown of the 2026 Nominees
The women’s shortlist highlights several historic record-breakers and multi-title winners. Ethiopia’s Tigst Assefa earned her spot by winning the Berlin Marathon in 2:11:04 and the London Marathon in a women-only world record of 2:15:41. Kenya’s Agnes Ngetich secured a nomination after taking the world half marathon title in a women-only world record of 1:05:15 and winning the world cross-country title. Spain’s María Pérez set an inaugural world half marathon race walk record of 1:30:06 on her way to the European title. USA’s Masai Russell established a world 100m hurdles record of 12.09, while compatriot Chase Jackson improved the North American shot put record twice to 21.14m. Additional women’s nominees include Melissa Jefferson-Wooden of the USA, Marileidy Paulino of the Dominican Republic, Camryn Rogers of Canada, Audrey Werro of Switzerland, and Yan Ziyi of China.
On the men’s side, Sweden’s Mondo Duplantis is a nominee after setting a world pole vault record in 2026. Brazil’s Alison dos Santos set a world 400m hurdles record in 2026. Great Britain and Northern Ireland’s Josh Kerr set a world mile record of 3:42.66, and Kenya’s Sabastian Sawe set a world record in the marathon, as reported by Yahoo Sports. Rounding out the men’s 10 nominees are Kenneth Bednarek and Ja’Kobe Tharp of the USA, Kristjan Čeh of Slovenia, Andy Díaz Hernández of Italy, Collen Kebinatshipi of Botswana, and Rumesh Tharanga Pathirage of Sri Lanka.
Four Voting Groups Determine Final Rankings by October 17
The final ranking from first to 10th is determined by a four-way voting process that closes on Saturday, October 17, at midnight CEST (Yahoo Sports notes the deadline as 6 p.m. Eastern time). Each group contributes an equal 25% share of the overall vote:
- World Athletics fans voting via online survey.
- Athletes who competed at World Athletics Series events during the 2026 season.
- Accredited media members, including television and radio commentators, written press journalists, and content creators.
- The World Athletics Family, including Council and commission members, athlete representatives, meeting directors, and member federation presidents.
The three female and three male finalists resulting from the vote will be announced on November 10 and 11. These finalists will travel to Monaco for the World Athletics Awards on November 29, where the ultimate winners will be revealed live on stage alongside recipients of the Rising Star honors, Coach of the Year, the President’s Award, and the newly introduced Moment of the Year award.
Frequently Asked Questions About the 2026 Awards
How many athletes were nominated for the 2026 awards?
A total of 20 athletes were nominated, split evenly with 10 candidates for Women’s World Athlete of the Year and 10 for Men’s World Athlete of the Year.
When and where will the winners be announced?
The winners will be announced live on stage during the World Athletics Awards ceremony held in Monaco on November 29, following the announcement of the top three finalists on November 10 and 11.
Who won the Athlete of the Year honors in 2025?
The 2025 World Athletes of the Year were American Sydney Levrone and Swedish pole vaulter Mondo Duplantis, as reported by Yahoo Sports.
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