Kenya could be on the verge of another major athletics triumph as Sabastian Sawe and Agnes Ngetich battle some of the biggest names in global athletics for the 2026 World Athlete of the Year honours.
The two Kenyan distance-running stars are among 20 nominees selected by World Athletics, with Ngetich shortlisted for the women’s award and Sawe for the men’s award.
Sawe earned his nomination after making marathon history at the London Marathon, where he clocked 1:59:30 to become the first man to break the two hour barrier in a record eligible marathon.
Ngetich, meanwhile, has enjoyed a standout season, winning the world half marathon title in a women only world record of 1:05:15 and claiming the world cross-country title. She has also recorded world leading times of 8:08.95 in the 3,000m and 28:58 in the 10km.
The pair face strong international competition, including Ethiopia’s Tigst Assefa, Sweden’s Mondo Duplantis, American sprinters Melissa Jefferson-Wooden and Kenneth Bednarek, and several other world champions and record holders.
Voting will determine the final ranking of the nominees, with the top three in each category progressing to the final stage. The winners will be announced at the World Athletics Awards in Monaco on November 29, 2026.
