- Kenyan marathoner Sebastian Sawe earned a nomination for the 2026 World Athletics Men's World Athlete of the Year award after a landmark race in London
- Agnes Jebet Ngetich also received a nomination on the women's side after a stunning half-marathon world record in Copenhagen
- Public voting accounts for 25% of the final result, with winners set to be announced at a gala in Monaco on 29 November 2026
Kenyan marathoner Sebastian Sawe is in the running for one of athletics' most prestigious individual honours after being shortlisted for the 2026 World Athletics Men's World Athlete of the Year award.
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He is one of 10 male athletes nominated for the accolade.
How Sawe earned World Athlete of the Year nomination
The nomination follows Sawe's extraordinary performance at the London Marathon in April 2026, where he clocked 1:59:30 to become the first man to officially break the two-hour marathon barrier in a record-eligible race.
That stunning run shaved 65 seconds off the previous world record and has since been widely described by athletics fans and commentators as one of the greatest road-running performances in history.
Following the feat, Sawe was also reportedly inducted into the Adidas Hall of Fame, joining Ethiopian distance runner Yomif Kejelcha in that honour.
Kenya's chances of taking home the top award are doubled by the nomination of distance runner Agnes Jebet Ngetich on the women's side.
Ngetich secured her place among the finalists after winning the World Cross Country title and breaking the women's-only half-marathon world record in Copenhagen, where she posted a time of 1:05:15.
The final outcome will be shaped by four groups, each contributing equally at 25% of the total vote: World Athletics fans, athletes who competed at World Athletics Series events in 2026, accredited media members, and the broader World Athletics Family.
With public voting carrying real weight in the final result, Kenyans and athletics supporters around the world have been encouraged to back Sawe by engaging with his official nominee graphics on World Athletics' social media pages, including Facebook and Instagram.
Six finalists, three men and three women, are expected to be announced on 10 and 11 November 2026.
The winners will then be celebrated at the World Athletics Awards gala in Monaco on 29 November 2026.
See the post below:
Who won the 2026 Chicago Marathon?
TUKO.co.ke also highlighted facts about Amos Kipruto’s victory at the 2026 Chicago Marathon, where he finished in an unofficial time of 2:01:09.
After placing third in 2024 and second in 2025, Kipruto finally took the top spot with a decisive move in the closing seven kilometres. His time was the second-fastest ever recorded on the Chicago course.
Source: TUKO.co.ke
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