St LUCIA’S Julien Alfred and the Dominican Republic’s Marileidy Paulino have been named among the six nominees for the 2024 World Athletics Women’s Track Athlete of the Year, following their remarkable achievements during the season. This nomination is part of the World Athletics Awards 2024, which recognises the year’s top performers across various disciplines.

Alfred, who had a stellar year, claimed the Olympic 100m gold in Paris and also secured the World Indoor 60m title earlier in the year. She is also the Diamond League 100m champion. Her nomination is a testament to her exceptional performances that have solidified her as one of the premier sprinters on the global stage.

Paulino, the Dominican Republic’s 400m star, also earned her spot on the list with her dominant displays throughout the season. Unbeaten in 2024, Paulino clinched the Olympic 400m title in Paris and was crowned the Diamond League 400m champion, a testament to her consistency and strength over the quarter-mile distance.

Joining Alfred and Paulino as nominees are Kenya’s Beatrice Chebet, the Olympic 5000m and 10,000m champion; Faith Kipyegon, another Kenyan who set the World 1500m record and took Olympic gold in the same event; Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone of the USA, the Olympic 400m hurdles and 4x400m champion; and Gabby Thomas of the USA, who won the Olympic 200m and was part of the gold-medal-winning 4x100m and 4x400m teams.

The finalists for the Track Athlete of the Year will be determined through public voting on World Athletics’ social media platforms, with voting set to close on October 27. This year’s nominees highlight some of the most memorable performances at major events like the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, the World Athletics Indoor Championships, and the one-day meeting circuits.

In addition to the impressive list of female nominees, World Athletics has also announced the contenders for the 2024 Men’s Track Athlete of the Year. These nominees represent some of the most outstanding performances from the Paris 2024 Olympic Games and other major events across the season.
The nominees for 2024 Men’s Track Athlete of the Year are:

Rai Benjamin (USA)
Olympic 400m hurdles and 4x400m champion
World 400m hurdles leader
Grant Holloway (USA)
Olympic 110m hurdles champion
World indoor 60m hurdles champion and world record holder
Jakob Ingebrigtsen (Norway)
Olympic 5000m champion
World 3000m record
Noah Lyles (USA)
Olympic 100m champion
Olympic 200m bronze medalist
Letsile Tebogo (Botswana)
Olympic 200m champion
World 200m leader
Emmanuel Wanyonyi (Kenya)
Olympic 800m champion
Diamond League 800m champion
These nominees reflect the incredible depth of talent in men’s track and field, with standout performances in multiple disciplines, including sprints, hurdles, middle-distance, and long-distance events.
Voting is now open on World Athletics’ social media platforms and will close on October 27. The finalists for both the men’s and women’s awards will be selected based on public votes, and the winners will be revealed at the World Athletics Awards later this year. (Sportsmax)