In a record-breaking year, 2023 DP World African Women in Sport recipient Faith Kipyegon has scooped the prestigious 2023 Women’s World Athlete of the Year Track award at a glittering awards ceremony held in Monaco on Monday evening, 11 December, 2023.
Kipyegon set world records at an incredible three distances during a season in which she also achieved a golden double at the World Athletics Championships Budapest 23.
The 29-year-old Kenyan improved the world 1500m record to 3:49.11 in Florence, taking almost a full second off the previous mark. Just one week later, and despite having raced the 5000m just before, she improved the world record for that event, too, clocking 14:05.20 in Paris, to shave 1.42 seconds from the old record.
Her third world record came in Monaco, where she smashed the previous mile mark by five seconds, clocking 4:07.64. Then, in Budapest, she won her third senior world 1500m title and her first world 5000m crown.
On receipt of her award, Kipyegon said: “Wow, I am so proud of myself! To achieve what I achieved this year was magnificent. It was a dream come true.”
Female athletes scooped an array of awards across different categories on a night that is dedicated to celebrating athletes that have excelled in the calendar year.
“The depth of talent and the outstanding performances in our sport this year more than justify the expansion of the World Athletics Awards to recognise the accomplishments by these six athletes across a range of disciplines,” said World Athletics President Sebastian Coe.
“Our World Athletes of the Year alone have achieved seven world records between them in 2023, as well as a host of world titles and major wins, so it is only fitting that they be recognised as the athletes of the year in their respective fields. I congratulate our award winners and all the athletes nominated for these honours.”
Ethiopian Tigist Assefa, took home the 2023 Women’s World Athlete of the Year out of Stadia award. The 27-year-old moment of marathon glory came at the BMW Berlin Marathon in September when she smashed the world record by two minutes and 14 seconds, and achieved the biggest single improvement on the mark in 40 years.
28-year-old Venezuelan Yulimar Rogias won the coveted Women’s World Athlete of the Year Field award, after excelling in the triple jump, winning her fourth world indoor title in Budapest and claimed her third consecutive Diamond League trophy, in Eugene.
Kenyan teenager, Faith Cherotich was named 2023 Female Rising Star of the Year. Cherotich, who won world U20 bronze in 2021 and gold in 2022, also moved to second on the world U20 all-time list with 8:59.65 to finish third in the Diamond League Final in Eugene, while she finished fourth in the U20 race at the World Cross Country Championships.
Falilatou Tchanile-Salifou has been named Woman of the Year for her dedication to advancing women’s sport and and fostering gender equality in sport. As President of the Togolese athletics federation, she has demonstrated outstanding leadership and unwavering commitment, with a series of transformative initiatives throughout 2023 that have left a lasting impact on Togo’s sports landscape.
Ethiopia’s world 10,000m silver medallist Letesenbet Gidey was awarded the International Fair Play Award. Gidey’s fair play moment occurred at the World Athletics Championships Budapest 23. After securing silver in the women’s 10,000m, Gidey went back to comfort Netherlands’ Sifan Hassan, after her dramatic fall on the home straight.
Photo Caption: Faith Kipyegon has scooped World Athletics’ prestigious 2023 Women’s World Athlete of the Year – Track award in a record-breaking year, at World Athletics’ glittering awards ceremony in Monaco on Monday evening, 11 December, 2023. Photo: World Athletics on X
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