Easiest Way To Vote For Faith Kipyegon Nominated For World Athletics Award

Kenyan athlete and two-time Olympic 1500m champion Faith Kipyegon has been nominated for the World Athletics Female Athlete of the Year Award.

Kipyegon was on Wednesday, October 11 nominated for the prestigious global award owing to her successful 2023 which saw her break three world records; the world mile, 1500m race and 5000m race.

She also won two world titles, that is, becoming the first woman to win both 1500m and 5000m titles in a single world championship competition.

Faith Kipyegon looks up after winning the women's 1500m semi-final at the 2023 World Championships in Budapest, Hungary. /AP

How To Vote

According to The World Athletics, the World Athletics Council and the World Athletics Family will cast their votes by email, but fans will arguably have the easiest voting method online.

All they have to do is like and retweet its posts of Kipyegon and other women athletes nominated for the awards shared on its official social media platforms.

“Individual graphics for each nominee will be posted on Facebook, X, Instagram and YouTube this week; a 'like' on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube or a retweet on X will count as one vote,” World Athletics said in a statement.

Kipyegon will be up against formidable opponents who are also battling for the award, including Sha’Carri Richardson of the United States (USA), a reigning world 100m champion who had an impeccable 2023 season that included handing shock defeats to the Jamaican duo of Shericka Jackson and Shelly-Anne Fraser-Pryce to win the 100m at the World Championships in Budapest, Hungary.

She clocked 10.65, equaling Jackson’s world leading time to clinch the top prize at the global showpiece. She won almost all her 100m races, as well as won the women's 200m at the Kip Keino Classic in Nairobi.

Richardson lost only twice; at the Gyulai István Memorial, a Hungarian Athletics Grand Prix where she finished second and proceeded to finish fourth at the Prefontaine Classic.

Tigst Assefa and Gudaf Tsegay, both Ethiopians have also been nominated alongside Kipyegon.

Other nominees include Femke Bol (Netherlands-Track & Field Athlete), Shericka Jackson (Jamaica-athlete),Haruka Kitaguchi (Japan- Javelin), Yaroslava Mahuchikh (Ukraine- High Jump), Maria Perez (Spain- Race Walk), Yulimar Rojas (Venezuela- Triple Jump), Winfred Yavi (Bahrain- Steeplechase).

Kipyegon is aiming to become the first Eastern African woman since Almaz Ayana of Ethiopia in 2016 to clinch the prestigious award, etching her in world sport's history books.

The World Athletics Council’s vote holds a 50% stake in the final result. The remaining 50% split evenly between the votes from the World Athletics Family and the public. 

Voting is underway and will continue until October 28, 2023. The eagerly awaited announcement of the winner is scheduled for December 11, 2023. 

American Sha'Carri Richardson celebrates as she crosses the finish line at Kip Keino Classic on May 13, 2023. /TWITTER.BERNARD NDONG