Tigst Aseffa & Gudaf Tsegay nominated for Female Athlete of the Year awards

Addis Ababa, October 11, 2023 (FBC) – The women’s marathon reigning world record holder athlete Tigst Aseffa and the women’s 5,000m world record holder and the women’s 10,000m world champion Gudaf Tsegay of Ethiopia has been nominated for Female Athlete of the Year 2023 awards by the world athletics governing body.

This week marks the opening of the voting process for the 2023 World Athletes of the Year ahead of the World Athletics Awards 2023.

In that regard, Ethiopians Tigst Aseffa and Gudaf Tsegay are the leading contenders for the glory as the World Athletics confirmed a list of 11 nominees for Women’s World Athlete of the Year.

It is to be recalled that Tigst Assefa successfully defended her BMW Berlin Marathon title in style, smashing the world record with 2:11:53 at the World Athletics Platinum Label road race in the German capital on Sunday 24 September 2023.

The 26 year old Tigst Assefa took more than two minutes off the women’s world record of 2:14:04, which had been set by Kenya’s Brigid Kosgei at the 2019 Chicago Marathon.

Meanwhile, her compatriot and the world athletics 10000m gold medalist Gudaf Tsegay has smashed the 5000m world record, previously held by Kenya’s Faith.

In the 2023 Wanda Diamond League final held in Eugene, the U.S, Ethiopia’s Gudaf has made history with a record breaking victory in the 5000m podium last month.

Fresh from from her 10000m gold medal victory in August at the 2023 World Athletics Championship held in Budapest, Hungary, the Ethiopian athlete has clocked 14:00:21 to scoop the ultimate prize in the Diamond League final, held from 16 to 17 September 2023.

These athletes were selected by an international panel of athletics experts, comprising representatives from all six continental areas of World Athletics. List of other nominees for World Athlete of the Year include Faith Kipyegon of Kenya (1500m/mile/5000m), Femke Bol of the Netherlands (400m/400m hurdles), Shericka Jackson of Jamaica (100m/200m), Haruka Kitaguchi of Japan (javelin), Yaroslava Mahuchikh of Ukraine (high jump), Maria Perez of Spain (race walk), Sha’Carri Richardson of the USA (100m & 200m), Yulimar Rojas of Venezuela (triple jump), and Winfed Yavi of Bahrain (3000m steeplechase).

In what has been another memorable year for the sport, the nominations reflect some of the standout performances achieved at the World Athletics Championships Budapest 23, one-day meeting circuits, Label road races and other events around the world.

A three-way voting process will determine the finalists.

The World Athletics Council and the World Athletics Family will cast 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, X, Instagram and YouTube this week; a ‘like’ on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube or a retweet on X will count as one vote.

The World Athletics Council’s vote will count for 50% of the result, while the World Athletics Family’s votes and the public votes will each count for 25% of the final result.

Voting for the World Athletes of the Year closes at midnight on Saturday 28 October. At the conclusion of the voting process, five women and five men finalists will be announced by World Athletics on 13-14 November.

It is noted that the winners will be revealed on World Athletics’ social media platforms on 11 December.