Olympic champions Sifan Hassan and Lecille Tebogo have been named the world’s best athletes at the 2024 World Athletics Awards in Monaco.
Voted by fans, Hassan and Tebogo took top honors on a night that saw six athletes crowned in three categories: track, field and outside the stadium, before two overall winners were announced. did.
Tebogo was confirmed as the male track athlete of the year, while the female honor went to Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone. Hassan won the women’s title outside the stadium, Tamirat Tola won the men’s crown, and Mondo Duplantis and Jaroslava Makhuchik were named Field Athlete of the Year.
This year’s rising stars were also celebrated, with Sembo Almayu and Mattia Furlani receiving awards.
World’s Best Athlete 2024
Women’s World Athlete of the Year: Sifan Hassan (NED)
Men’s World Athlete of the Year: Lesile Tebogo (BOT)
Women’s track and field: Sidney McLaughlin-Levrone (USA)
Women’s Division: Yaroslava Makhuchik (UKR)
Outside the women’s stadium: Sifan Hassan (NED)
Men’s Track: Lesile Tebogo (BOT)
Men’s competition: Monde Duplantis (SWE)
Outside the men’s stadium: Tamirat Tora (ETH)
Rising female star: Sembo Almayu (ETH)
Rising male star: Mattia Furlani (ITA)
World Athletics President Sebastian Coe said: “At the end of an outstanding year for athletics, we are delighted to announce the list of the world’s best athletes, both in their individual disciplines and overall.” “This group of athletes represents the best of our sport and this year has redefined what is possible in terms of athletic performance.
“Our 2024 team has set new standards in height, speed and distance, including six world records and numerous Olympic and national records.
“We congratulate all the winners and all the athletes nominated for these honors and thank them for inspiring us all with their performances this year.”
World Athlete of the Year Hassan and Tebogo won gold and multiple medals at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Dutch star Hassan’s medal treble at the Paris Games culminated with him winning the marathon in a new Olympic record time of 2:22:55 and winning gold in the final track and field event of the Games. This performance came just 37 hours after Hassan won bronze in the 10,000 meters and six days after his first medal in the 5,000 meters (also bronze) in the French capital.
As a result, she became the first female athlete to win medals in the 5,000 meters, 10,000 meters and marathon in the same event, and the first since Emil Zatopek, who won all three men’s titles at the 1952 Helsinki Games.
Tebogo also made history in Paris by winning the 200m, becoming Botswana’s first Olympic gold medal in any sport. He set an African record time of 19.46 seconds, which moved him to fifth place on the world’s all-time list, trailing his sixth place in the 100m final. He was then part of Botswana’s men’s 4x400m team, which won the silver medal.
In 2024, he ran the 200 meters in the 20s nine times, which surpassed his Olympic title record and remained the fastest of the year.
His colleague and track and field athlete of the year, McLaughlin-Levrone, broke his own 400m hurdles world record twice, at 50.65 seconds and 50.37 seconds, and won Olympic gold medals in the same event and the 4x400m. obtained. Torra, who was named Athlete of the Year along with Hassan, won the title in the marathon at the Paris Olympics with an Olympic record.
Both field athletes this year set world records. Mahichik broke the world record in the high jump by clearing 2.10 meters and won the gold medal at the Olympics, while Duplantis broke his own world record in the pole vault three times, eventually increasing it to 6.26 meters. won the Olympic title.
“Thank you to my fans and everyone who voted,” said Hassan, who was in Monaco to accept the two awards. “I never thought I would win. This year has been great. It’s not just me. All the players have been great. I’m really grateful. What more can I say?”
“It’s a great feeling to know that the fans are always there for us athletes. It’s been a great year,” said Tebogo, who stood alongside Hassan on stage at the Princess Grace Theatre.
“This is significant,” he added. “It’s not just the team around you. There’s a lot of fans who really want us to get a great win for the continent. I wasn’t expecting this so I was really surprised when I heard my name. .”
The ceremony will honor last year’s Men’s Out-of-Stadium Athlete of the Year, Kelvin Kiptum, the marathon world record holder who died in a car accident in February, and other deceased sports figures. A moment was taken to remember the person. 2024 will be far away.
World Athletics Awards 2024 (© World Athletics)
Almayu and Furlani selected as 2024 Rising Stars
Sembo Almayu and Mattia Furlani not only achieved great results as U20 athletes in 2024, but also achieved success on the senior stage.
Armaille finished fifth in the 3000m steeplechase final at the Paris Olympics with a performance of 9:00.83, close to his own U20 national record, and then traveled to Lima to win the U20 world title and set a championship record in the process. . With this victory, the 19-year-old became the first Ethiopian women’s world U20 steeplechase champion.
Furlani won a silver medal at the European Championships in Rome by breaking the world U20 long jump record with a jump of 8.38 meters, followed by a further silver medal at the World Indoor Championships and two major senior medals at the Olympics. he won the bronze medal.
In Glasgow, Furlani became the youngest athlete to win a medal in the world indoor horizontal jump, at 19 years and 24 days old.
Knight receives President’s Award
Winners of the President’s Award were announced in Monaco on Sunday, with Nike co-founder Phil Knight receiving the honor for his continued and inspiring support for the development of athletics and sport. did.
First presented in 2016, the President’s Award recognizes and recognizes extraordinary contributions to the world of athletics. Previous recipients of the award include the Ukrainian Athletics Federation, British journalist Vicky Orvis, Swiss tournament director Andreas Brugger, Jamaican sprinting superstar Usain Bolt, and the Abbott World Marathon Majors. , and 1968 men’s 200m medalists Tommie Smith, Peter Norman and John Carlos. The moment I stepped onto the podium in Mexico.
“Phil Knight’s passion for athletics is almost lifelong,” Coe said. “He developed an almost father-son relationship with his coach, the legendary Bill Bowerman. His training approach deviated from the orthodoxy of the time, and he only guided Knight’s career on the track. Nike took tentative steps in the running shoe business and became a dominant force worldwide.
“His love for athletics has rubbed off on Nike. This is a business created and driven by runners, and Phil is never afraid to lead.”
Mr Knight said: “Thank you Seb Coe for the highest honor of the President’s Award from World Athletics. I am in great company with Tommie Smith, John Carlos and Usain Bolt. Of course I am not as fast as them. Even though I couldn’t run, I was in very high company, so I’m excited about the award.
“I think running is going to continue to grow. Not only are Seb and his team doing a great job promoting this sport, but this sport is not only fun, but probably the best fitness activity you can do. So it means a lot to me to get this honor.”
Other winners
Coaching Achievement Award
trevor painter
Woman of the Year
Lenny Washington
this year’s photo
michael steel
Member Federation Award
american track and field
world athletics
