World marathon record holder Brigid Kosgei has made the final short-list of five athletes for the Female World Athlete of the Year 2019 Award announced by World Athletics (formerly International Association of Athletics Federations) on Tuesday.
Two other Kenyans – world 3,000 metres steeplechase champion Beatrice Chepkoech and Hellen Obiri, world champion in the 5,000 metres – who were in the initial list of nominees, failed to make the top five.
Kosgei broke Briton Paula Radcliffe’s long-standing women’s world marathon record at last month’s Chicago Marathon, clocking two hours, 14 minutes and four seconds after winning the London Marathon in April.
She will battle with Jamaican sprinter Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, Dutch distance running star Sifan Hassan, American hurdler Dalilah Muhammad and Venezuelan triple jumper Julimar Rojas.
“The five athletes, who represent five countries from four Area associations, have illustrated excellence across nearly all athletics disciplines in 2019,” World Athletics said in the statement.
On Monday, Kenya’s men’s marathon world record holder Eliud Kipchoge was named in the short-list of five men for the top award.
The others are Ugandan world 10,000 metres champion Joshua Cheptegei, American pole vault world title holder Sam Kendricks, his 200m compatriot Noah Lyles and Norwegian hurdler Karsten Warholm.
The male and female World Athletes of the Year will be announced live on stage at the World Athletics Awards 2019 in Monaco on Saturday, November 23.