World Athletics named its finalists for Men’s and Women’s Track Athlete of the Year on Tuesday, a list that is packed with athletes who delivered dominant performances in 2024, especially in the Paris Olympics.
Five of 12 nominees are Americans and all of the athletes in line for the prizes won individual gold medals at the Paris Games and five (three women and two men) broke world records on the way to the top of the podium.
Beatrice Chebet, Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, Rai Benjamin and Julien Alfred lead the way for the nominees as part of a stacked group that will making voting a particular challenge this year.
Chebet struck gold in Paris in the 5,000m and 10,000m, while McLaughlin-Levrone dazzled in the 400m hurdles along with helping power Team USA to a 4x400m victory. Benjamin also grabbed gold in 400m hurdles and 4x400m for Team USA, while Alfred made headlines as she won the 100m final to give Saint Lucia its first Olympic medal.
Voting for the prizes have begun on social media and will conclude on October 27. Then, the two finalists in each category will be in the running for the overall World Athlete of the Year in November.
The full list for 2024 Track Athlete of the Year:
Men’s Track Athlete of the Year finalists:
Rai Benjamin (USA)
(Olympic 400m hurdles, 4x400m champion and world 400m hurdles leader)
Grant Holloway (USA)
(Olympic 110m hurdles champion, world indoor 60m hurdles champion and world record holder)
Jakob Ingebrigtsen (Norway)
(Olympic 5,000m champion and 3,000m world record holder)
Noah Lyles (USA)
(Olympic 100m champion and 200m bronze medal winner)
Letsile Tebogo (Botswana)
(Olympic 200m champion and world 200m leader)
Emmanuel Wanyonyi (Kenya)
(Olympic 800m champion and Diamond League 800m champion)
Women’s Track Athlete of the Year finalists:
Julien Alfred (Saint Lucia)
(Olympic 100m champion and world indoor 60m champion)
Beatrice Chebet (Kenya)
(Olympic 5,000m, 10,000m champion and 10,000m world record holder)
Faith Kipyegon (Kenya)
(Olympic 1,500m champion and 1,500m world record holder)
Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone (USA)
(Olympic 400m hurdles, 4x400m champion and 400m hurdles world record holder)
Marileidy Paulino (Dominican Republic)
(Olympic 400m champion and Diamond League 400m winner)
Gabby Thomas (USA)
(Olympic 200m, 4x100m and 4x400m champion)
