Kenyan athletes Agnes Ngetich and Sebastian Sawe have been nominated for the 2026 World Athlete of the Year awards after being shortlisted by World Athletics.
Ngetich has been nominated in the women’s category, while Sawe will compete for the men’s award. The nominations come after both athletes produced impressive performances on the international stage this year.
Ngetich has enjoyed a successful season, recording notable results in both cross-country and road races. Among her achievements are setting a new women-only half-marathon world record of 1:05:15. The performance placed her among the most outstanding distance runners of the year.
Sawe, on the other hand, has also enjoyed a historic year. The Kenyan performed impressively at the London Marathon, where he crossed the finish line in under two hours, the first man to do that in an official, competitive race.
The nominations of Ngetich and Sawe are a major boost for Kenya, a country renowned globally for its strength in long-distance running. The two Kenyans will now face competition from other leading athletes seeking the prestigious awards.
World Athletics has stated that the selection process will involve votes from athletes, fans, media representatives and members of the World Athletics family.
According to World Athletics, an eight-member panel of statisticians – two members from World Athletics and one from each of the six area associations – selected the nominees. The four-way vote closes on Saturday, October 17
An eight-strong panel of statisticians – two members from World Athletics and one from each of the six area associations – selected the nominees. A four-way vote, which closes on Saturday, 17 October 2026 at 1 am (Local Time).
The winners of the women’s and men’s World Athlete of the Year awards are expected to be announced on 10 and 11 November, and awarded during the World Athletics Awards ceremony in Monaco on November 29, 2026.
For Kenya, attention will now turn to Ngetich and Sawe as athletics fans wait to see whether one or both of the Kenyans will emerge victorious and further enhance Kenya’s reputation on the global athletics stage.
