Letsile Tebogo, a sprinter from Botswana, and Sifan Hassan, a Dutch marathon runner who won gold at the Olympics in Paris, were awarded ‘Athletes of the Year’ by World Athletics in Monaco on Sunday.
Hassan’s outstanding performance in the French capital, which extended beyond the marathon and into the track, earned her the out-of-stadium prize as well.
Over the course of seven days, she won two bronze medals in the 10,000-meter and 5,000-meter events, after running a heat, and an incredible victory in the marathon, when she narrowly defeated Kenyan world record holder Tigist Assefa by three seconds.
“I never thought I was going to win this one,” said Hassan after receiving her award in Monaco. “This year was crazy. It’s not only me –- but all the athletes have also been amazing.”
At the Stade de France, Tebogo won the 200-meter race in 19.46 seconds, beating out American Kenny Bednarek and favourite Noah Lyles to become the first African to win the Olympic title.
“This means a lot,” Tebogo said, adding that he also won the men’s track title.
“There are many supporters out there who genuinely want us to win something significant for the continent; it’s not only about the team that is nearby.
“It was a real surprise to hear my name because I didn’t expect this.”
Several more athletes who excelled at the Olympics were also recognised by the International Athletics Federation.
Following an undefeated 2024 campaign, Swedish pole-vaulter Armand Duplantis won the men’s field event, taking home the Olympic gold and setting a new world mark of 6.26 meters.
After winning Olympic gold in Paris and breaking the previous high jump world record at the age of just 22, Ukrainian Yaroslava Mahuchikh became victorious in the women’s event.
In addition to Tebogo, Ethiopian Tamirat Tola, the winner of the men’s Olympic marathon, received the out-of-stadium award, and Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, who broke her own world record in the 400-meter hurdles and won gold in Paris with a time of 50.37, was recognised in the track category.
World Athletics Awards:
Women’s World Athlete of the Year: Sifan Hassan (NED)
Men’s World Athlete of the Year: Letsile Tebogo (BOT)
Women’s track: Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone (USA)
Women’s field: Yaroslava Mahuchikh (UKR)
Women’s out-of-stadium: Sifan Hassan (NED)
Men’s track: Letsile Tebogo (BOT)
Men’s field: Armand Duplantis (SWE)
Men’s out-of-stadium: Tamirat Tola (ETH)
Women’s Rising Star: Sembo Almayew (ETH)
Men’s Rising Star: Mattia Furlani (ITA)
