Here Are All the African Athletes Nominated for the 2018 World Athlete of the Year Award
These eight athletes are competing for one of the sports world's biggest awards.
The nominations for World Athlete of the Year have been announced by the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) and a number of African athletes are in the running for the prestigious awards.
The titles are given out annually to accomplished athletes from across the world, who participate in sports such as track, cross country, road running, race walking, long jump and more. Past recipients include Usain Bolt and Haile Gebrselassie.
There are 10 nominees in both the men's and women's categories, and this year a total of 8 athletes have African roots. Supporters can vote for their favorite athletes on Twitter, and five finalist will be announced in November. The winners will be announced on December 4.
Read on for a complete list of the African athletes nominated for this year's IAAF's Athlete of the Year award.
Caster Semenya
The South African track star is nominated despite IAAF attempts to impose a controversial testosterone requirement that means the athlete may have to chemically reduce her testosterone levels or compete with men. She has challenged the policy in court calling it "discriminatory." Nonetheless, Semanya is one of this year's most formidable contenders. Semanya won the 800-1500m double gold at the Commonwealth Games this year, and broke a 25-year-old record,reports Konbini.
Beatrice Chepkoech
The Kenyan distance runner is the current world 3000 meters steeplechase record holder, setting a new record this year in Monaco.
Timothy Cheruiyot
The 25-year-old Kenyan middle distance runner won the men's 1500 meter event during the Rome IAAF Diamond League athletics competition in May. He has several African 15000 meter championships under his belt, and has one 9 out of 11 races that he has competed in this year, according to The Standard Kenya.
Nafissatou Thiam
The Senegalese-Belgian multi-event athlete, holds the Belgian record in the heptathlon and javelin. She won gold at the heptathlon at the 2017 Summer Olympics.
Abderrahman Samba
The Mauritanian athlete who competes for Qatar is the second fastest 400 meter hurdle runner ever.
Emmanuel Korir
The Kenyan athlete has been the "world's fastest man" in the 800 meter race since 2012, and he's only 23.
Luvo Manyonga
The 27-year-old South African track and field athlete won the gold medal in the long jump at this year's Commonwealth Games in Australia as well as the Diamond League Title. He joins his compatriot Caster Semenya as the second South African athlete to be nominated.
Eliud Kipchoge
The celebrated Kenyan marathon runner shattered the world record earlier this year by crossing the finish line in 2:01.39 at the 2018 Berlin Marathon. His nominations comes at no surprise.
