Faith Kipyegon nominated for Female Athlete of the Year award

Kenya's Faith Chepngetich Kipyegon celebrates with her gold medal) during the podium ceremony for the women's 1500m of the athletics event at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games at the Olympic Stadium in Rio de Janeiro on August 17, 2016. AFP PHOTO

Two-time Olympic 1500m champion Faith Kipyegon is among the 10 nominees for the Female World Athlete of the Year 2021, World Athletics announced on Friday.

Three months ago, Kipyegon made another long stride to the annals of history by becoming the first woman to win back-to-back Olympic gold medals in 1500m since Russian Tatyana Kazankina in 1976 and 1980.

She stamped her authority, successfully defending her gold medal in the women’s 1500m at the Tokyo games with an Olympic record time of 3:53.11.

At the Tokyo Olympics, her gold medal came at a time when Kenya; a powerhouse in athletics, was praying for a gold medal – and Kipyegon, who was born in Kuresoi 27 years ago, did not disappoint. The country had only secured two gold medals then and time was running out.

She had represented the country at the London Olympics of 2012, but was eliminated in the heats in her debut before bouncing back with impressive performance in Rio 2016.

Kipyegon’s profile in the sport rose quickly, chalking up victories at both the world youth and world junior 1500m in back-to-back seasons. Her fast time to win the world junior title in Barcelona was almost a decade ago (2011 and 2012).

Kipyegon will compete for the award alongside nine other nominees according to World Athletics.

“World Athletics is pleased to confirm a list of 10 nominees for Female World Athlete of the Year who were selected by an international panel of athletics experts, comprising representatives from all six continental areas of World Athletics.”

“The nominations reflect the remarkable range of exceptional performances that the sport has witnessed this year, at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, one-day meeting circuits and other events around the world,” said World Athletics.

The nominees for 2021 Female World Athlete of the Year are (in alphabetical order):

Valarie Allman, USA

- Olympic discus champion

- Diamond League discus champion

- North American discus record

Jasmine Camacho-Quinn, PUR

- Olympic 100m hurdles champion

- Broke the Olympic 100m hurdles record

- National record 12.26 moved to equal fourth on the world all-time list

Sifan Hassan, NED

- Olympic 5000m and 10,000m champion

- Olympic 1500m bronze medallist

- Broke the world 10,000m record

Faith Kipyegon, KEN

- Olympic 1500m champion

- Diamond League 1500m champion

- Kenyan 1500m record

Mariya Lasitskene, ANA

- Olympic high jump champion

- Diamond League high jump champion

- Jumped world-leading 2.05m

Sydney McLaughlin, USA

- Olympic 400m hurdles champion

- Olympic 4x400m champion

- Set two world 400m hurdles records

Shaunae Miller-Uibo, BAH

- Olympic 400m champion

- North American 400m record

- North American indoor 400m record

Athing Mu, USA

- Olympic 800m and 4x400m champion

- World U20 indoor 800m record

- North American U20 records at 400m and 800m

Yulimar Rojas, VEN

- Olympic triple jump champion

- Diamond League triple jump champion

- World triple jump record

Elaine Thompson-Herah, JAM

- Olympic 100m, 200m and 4x100m champion

- Diamond League 100m champion

- National 100m and 200m records, second fastest of all time

Athletics
Kenyan stars ready for World Cross showdown in Belgrade
By Ben Ahenda 2 hrs ago
Motorsport
Safari Rally 2024: Tanak urges Kenyan children to take up motorsports as a career
Rugby
SCHOOLS: From the classroom to the field, Kisumu Girls ready to lift national rugby trophy
Motorsport
Safari Rally 2024: Neuville clinches Kasarani stage as Hyundai makes intention known