Tigst Assefa is Ethiopia's nominee for World Athlete of the Year, with voting closing on 17 October

17 October 2026

World Athletics announced the nominees for World Athlete of the Year 2026 on 6 October 2026, and the Ethiopian marathon runner Tigst Assefa is on the list for the women's award.
Her season included victory at the Berlin Marathon in 2:11:04, the third fastest time in history, and victory at the London Marathon in a women only world record of 2:15:41.
The 20 nominees, 10 women and 10 men, were chosen by an eight member panel of statisticians that includes two members from World Athletics and one from each of the six area associations.
A four way vote ranks the nominees from first to tenth and closes at midnight Central European Summer Time on Saturday 17 October. Each group contributes 25 per cent of the result: World Athletics fans voting by survey, athletes who competed at World Athletics Series events in 2026, accredited media, and the World Athletics Family.
Three women and three men will be named as finalists on 10 and 11 November.
The winners will be revealed at the World Athletics Awards in Monaco on 29 November.