Kosgei, Chepkoech and Obiri nominated for IAAF award

Newly crowned world marathon record holder Brigid Kosgei, world 3,000m steeplechase record holder Beatrice Chepkoech and world 5,000m champion Hellen Obiri have been nominated for the prestigious IAAF Female World Athlete of the Year.

The Kenyan trio is among 11 athletes nominated by an international panel of athletics experts, comprising representatives from all six continental areas of the IAAF.

Others are Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce (Jamaica), Katarina Johnson-Thompson (Great Britain), Sifan Hassan (Netherlands), Manya Lasitskene (Russia), Malaika Mihambo (Germany), Dalilah Muhammad (USA), Salwa Eid Naser (Bahrain) and Yulimar Rojas (Venezuela).

Kosgei’s nomination comes barely two days after breaking the women’s marathon record when she defended her Chicago marathon title in 2:14:04 on Sunday.

The 25-year-old also destroyed a strong field to win this year’s London marathon in April.

On her part, Obiri is fresh from defending her 5000m title at the just concluded World Athletics Championships in Doha, Qatar.

She also reigned supreme at the World Cross Country Championships held in Aarhus, Denmark in March.

Alongside holding the world record, Chepkoech managed to bag the IAAF Diamond League trophy before bagging the World title in a Championship record of 8:57.84.

Five of the nominated athletes will however make the final shortlist depending on the votes.

A three-way voting process will determine the finalists.

The IAAF Council and the IAAF Family will cast their votes by email, while fans can vote online via the IAAF’s social media platforms. Individual graphics for each nominee will be posted on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram this week; a ‘like’ on Facebook and Instagram or a retweet on Twitter will count as one vote.

The IAAF Council’s vote will count for 50% of the result, while the IAAF Family’s votes and the public votes will each count for 25% of the final result.

The male and female World Athletes of the Year will be announced live on stage at the World Athletics Awards 2019 gala in November 23.

The two athletes join their male compatriots world marathon record holder Eliud Kipchoge and world 1500m champion Timothy Cheruiyot who were shortlisted for the Male World Athlete of the Year Award on Monday.

Full list of female nominees

Beatrice Chepkoech (KEN)

– won world 3000m steeplechase title in a championship record of 8:57.84

– won Diamond League title

– won seven of her eight steeplechase races

Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce (JAM)

– won world 100m and 4x100m titles in world-leading times of 10.71 and 41.44

– won Pan-American 200m title

– won seven of her 10 races at 100m

Katarina Johnson-Thompson (GBR)

– won world heptathlon title in a world-leading 6981

– Undefeated in all combined events competitions, indoors and outdoors

– won European indoor pentathlon title with a world-leading 4983

Sifan Hassan (NED)

– won world 1500m and 10,000m titles in world-leading times of 3:51.95 and 30:17.62

– won Diamond League 1500m and 5000m titles

– broke world mile record with 4:12.33 in Monaco

Brigid Kosgei (KEN)

– set a world record of 2:14:04 to win the Chicago Marathon

– won the London Marathon

– ran a world-leading 1:05:28 for the half marathon and 1:04:28 on a downhill course

Mariya Lasitskene (ANA)

– won world high jump title with 2.04m

– jumped a world-leading 2.06m in Ostrava

– won 21 of her 23 competitions, indoors and outdoors

Malaika Mihambo (GER)

– won world long jump title with a world-leading 7.30m

– won Diamond League title

– Undefeated outdoors

Dalilah Muhammad (USA)

– broke world record with 52.20 at the US Championships

– improved her own world record to win the world 400m hurdles title in 52.16

– won world 4x400m title

Salwa Eid Naser (BRN)

– won world 400m title in 48.14, the third-fastest time in history

– won Diamond League title and three gold medals at the Asian Championships

– Undefeated at 400m outdoors

Hellen Obiri (KEN)

– won world cross-country title in Aarhus

– won world 5000m title in a championship record of 14:26.72

– ran a world-leading 14:20.36 for 5000m in London

Yulimar Rojas (VEN)

– won world triple jump title with 15.37m

– jumped world-leading 15.41m to move to second on the world all-time list

– won nine of her 12 competitions, including the Pan-American Games