Trending 
Dutch marathon champion Sifan Hassan and Botswanan sprinter Letsile Tebogo were honoured as ‘Athletes of the Year’ by World Athletics at a prestigious ceremony in Monaco on Sunday. Both athletes were recognised for their remarkable performances at the Paris Olympics, where they claimed gold medals in their respective events.
Hassan’s extraordinary achievements spanned both track and road events. Over just seven days, she secured two bronze medals in the 5,000m and 10,000m before clinching a dramatic marathon gold. Her victory came in a thrilling sprint finish against Kenyan world record-holder Tigist Assefa, with Hassan crossing the line just three seconds ahead.
Tebogo made history by becoming the first African athlete to win an Olympic gold medal in the 200m. The 21-year-old sprinted to victory at the Stade de France in 19.46 seconds, narrowly beating American stars Kenny Bednarek and Noah Lyles. “This means a lot,” Tebogo said.
Other notable winners included Swedish pole-vaulter Armand Duplantis, who received the men’s field award after an unbeaten season that saw him set a new world record of 6.26 metres and claim Olympic gold. Ukrainian high jumper Yaroslava Mahuchikh was honoured in the women’s field category after breaking the high jump world record with a leap of 2.10m and winning Olympic gold at just 22 years old.
Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone earned recognition in the women’s track category after shattering her own 400m hurdles world record with a time of 50.37 seconds to claim Olympic gold. Meanwhile, Ethiopia’s Tamirat Tola was awarded in the out-of-stadium category for his marathon triumph in Paris.
Rising star awards went to Ethiopian steeplechaser Sembo Almayew and Italian longjumper Mattia Furlani, both of whom showcased exceptional promise at the Games.
The ceremony also paid tribute to Kelvin Kiptum, last year’s men’s out-of-stadium athlete of the year and the marathon world record-holder, who tragically passed away in a road traffic accident in February. The evening served as a celebration of athletic excellence while honouring the memory of those lost.
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)
