Sabastian Sawe and Agnes Ngetich carry Kenya's world records onto the World Athlete of the Year shortlist

17 October 2026

World Athletics has nominated twenty athletes for its World Athlete of the Year awards, ten in the women's category and ten in the men's.
Kenya's Sabastian Sawe is nominated after winning the London Marathon in a world record of 1:59:30, becoming the first man to break two hours in a record-eligible marathon.
Agnes Ngetich is nominated after taking the world half marathon title by 50 seconds in a women-only world record of 1:05:15, and the world cross country title by 42 seconds.
She also set world leads of 8:08.95 for 3000m and 28:58 for 10km.
Public voting on the nominees closes on 17 October at midnight Central European Summer Time.
Three finalists in each award will be named on 10 and 11 November, and the winners will be announced on stage at the World Athletics Awards in Monaco on 29 November.