This archive report was first published on 24 October 2021.
Kenyan athletes Faith Chepngétich Kipyegon and Eliud Kipchoge, who both won gold medals at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, have been nominated for the World Athlete of the Year awards.
According to World Athletics, the voting process for the 2021 World Athletes of the Year is underway, with Kipyegon currently leading with 12,000 votes, followed closely by Dutchwoman Sifan Hassan with 14,000 votes.
World Athletics announced a list of 10 nominees for Female World Athlete of the Year, selected by an international panel of athletics experts. The nominees reflect the remarkable range of exceptional performances in the sport this year.
Barnaba Korir, an AK executive member, believes that both Kipchoge and Kipyegon have a high chance of winning the award and has called on fans across the globe to vote for them.
The voting process involves a three-way voting system, with the World Athletics Council and the World Athletics Family casting their votes by email, while fans can vote online via the World Athletics social media platforms.
Individual graphics for each nominee will be posted on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram this week, with a ‘like’ on Facebook and Instagram or a retweet on Twitter counting as one vote.
On her Facebook wall, Kipyegon expressed her gratitude and encouraged fans to vote for her, saying, “So grateful. Guys, you can vote through the World Athletics page. Thank you so much everyone.”
