Kipchoge and Kosgei named as IAAF Athlete of the Year

Paris (AFP)

Kenyan marathon runners Eliud Kipchoge and Brigid Kosgei have been named as Athlete of the Year by the International Athletics Federation (IAAF) after their respective achievements of the weekend, in a list largely dominated by recent world champions .

In Chicago on Sunday, Brigid Kosgei sprayed in 2 h 14 min 04 sec the world record of the women's marathon held since 2003 by Britain's Paula Radcliffe.

Earlier in the weekend, current marathon record holder Eliud Kipchoge pushed back the known limits of human abilities by going under the two hour mark (1h 59 min 40 sec) during an unapproved marathon, organized by his sponsor in Vienna.

The list unveiled Monday for male athletes includes five Americans, two Kenyans, a Ugandan, a Bahraini, a Swede and a Norwegian, while the list published Tuesday for female athletes includes three Kenyans, an American, a Dutch, a German, a Jamaican, a British and a competing athlete under neutral banner.

The recent doping cases that are shaking the world of athletics have had little effect on the composition of the two lists.

American Christian Coleman, crowned world champion in the 100m last month in Doha, who was suspended in August before being rehabilitated in extremis early September, thanks to a procedural error of the American anti-doping agency (USADA) , is part of the male list.

The Dutch Sifan Hassan (world champion in Doha on 1,500 m and 10,000 m) and the American Donovan Brazier (world champion in Doha on 800 m) are also named despite their membership in the Nike Oregon Project (NOP) closed last week after the suspension of his American coach Alberto Salazar for "incitement" to doping. However, the two athletes were never personally blamed.

It should be noted that Eliud Kipchoge and Brigid Kosgei did not take part in the Doha Worlds.

The designation of the female and male athletes of the year will be announced at the "World Athletics Awards 2019" which will take place in Monaco on November 23rd.

List of Nominees for Female Athlete of the Year

Beatrice Chepkoech (KEN)

Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce (JAM)

Katarina Johnson-Thompson (GBR)

Sifan Hassan (NED)

Brigid Kosgei (KEN)

Mariya Lasitskene (ANA)

Malaika Mihambo (GER)

Dalilah Muhammad (USA)

Salwa Eid Naser (BRN)

Hellen Obiri (KEN)

Yulimar Rojas (VEN)

List of Nominees for Male Athlete of the Year

Donavan Brazier (USA)

Christian Coleman (USA)

Joshua Cheptegei (UGA)

Timothy Cheruyiot (KEN)

Steven Gardiner (BAH)

Sam Kendricks (USA)

Eliud Kipchoge (KEN)

Noah Lyles (USA)

Daniel Stahl (SWE)

Christian Taylor (USA)

Karsten Warholm (NOR)

© 2019 AFP