The race for the 2026 World Athlete of the Year award is officially under way, with World Athletics naming 10 men in contention for one of the sport’s biggest individual honours.
The nominees were announced on Tuesday, October 6, ahead of the World Athletics Awards in Monaco on November 29. The shortlist brings together world-record holders, major championship winners and athletes who produced outstanding seasons across sprinting, middle-distance running, hurdles, field events and the marathon.
Among the nominees is Sri Lanka’s Rumesh Tharanga Pathirage, whose breakthrough javelin season gives South Asian athletics a strong presence in the global award race.
Voting is now open and will close on October 17 at midnight CEST.
2026 Men’s World Athlete of the Year Nominees
| Athlete | Country | Event | 2026 Highlight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenneth Bednarek | USA | 100m/200m | Ultimate Championship sprint double |
| Kristjan Čeh | Slovenia | Discus | 72.51m European championship record |
| Andy Díaz Hernández | Italy | Triple jump | 18.15m, fourth on world all-time list |
| Alison dos Santos | Brazil | 400m hurdles | World record of 45.80 |
| Mondo Duplantis | Sweden | Pole vault | World record of 6.31m |
| Collen Kebinatshipi | Botswana | 400m | 43.39 at Ultimate Championship |
| Josh Kerr | Great Britain & NI | 1500m/mile | World mile record of 3:42.66 |
| Rumesh Tharanga Pathirage | Sri Lanka | Javelin | 92.62m national record |
| Sabastian Sawe | Kenya | Marathon | World record of 1:59:30 |
| Ja’Kobe Tharp | USA | 110m hurdles | World record of 12.75 |
World Athletics said the nominees were selected by an eight-member panel of statisticians, with two members from World Athletics and one representative from each of the six continental area associations.
Kenneth Bednarek – USA
Kenneth Bednarek produced one of the standout sprint seasons of 2026.
He completed a sprint double at the inaugural World Athletics Ultimate Championship, winning the 100m in 9.85 seconds and the 200m in a world-leading personal best of 19.52.
Bednarek also won the Diamond League 200m title in 19.62.
Kristjan Čeh – Slovenia
Discus thrower Kristjan Čeh retained his European title and set a championship record of 72.51m.
He also won the Diamond League title with a meeting record of 71.29m, adding another major achievement to his season.
Andy Díaz Hernández – Italy
Andy Díaz Hernández completed a major championship sweep in the triple jump, winning the world indoor, Diamond League and European titles.
His best jump of 18.15m moved him to fourth on the world all-time list.
Alison dos Santos – Brazil
One of the defining performances of the season came from Alison dos Santos, who broke the men’s 400m hurdles world record with a time of 45.80 seconds.
The Brazilian also won the Ultimate Championship title in 45.98 and remained unbeaten across 11 hurdles races during the season.
Mondo Duplantis – Sweden
Mondo Duplantis once again rewrote the pole vault record books in 2026.
The Swedish star raised his own world record to 6.31m and also won the Ultimate Championship, World Indoor Championship and European Championship titles.
His continued dominance makes him one of the leading contenders for the award.
Collen Kebinatshipi – Botswana
Botswana’s Collen Kebinatshipi enjoyed a breakthrough season over 400m.
He won the Ultimate Championship in 43.39 seconds, moving to fifth on the world all-time list.
Kebinatshipi also won the Diamond League title and improved the Diamond League record three times during the season.
Josh Kerr – Great Britain & Northern Ireland
Josh Kerr produced a historic middle-distance season, highlighted by a world mile record of 3:42.66.
He also recorded a world-leading 1500m time of 3:27.62 for his split and won the Ultimate 1500m title, world indoor 3000m title and Commonwealth Games mile title.
Rumesh Tharanga Pathirage – Sri Lanka
South Asia’s Standout Nominee
Rumesh Tharanga Pathirage is one of the most notable names on the shortlist for Asian athletics fans.
The Sri Lankan javelin thrower produced a 92.62m national record, which World Athletics lists as the world-leading mark for the season.
Pathirage won four major titles in 2026:
- Ultimate Championship
- Diamond League
- Asian Games
- Commonwealth Games
He won 13 of his 14 competitions during the season, making his nomination one of the strongest achievements in Sri Lankan athletics.
Sabastian Sawe – Kenya
Kenya’s Sabastian Sawe made marathon history in London.
He ran 1:59:30, becoming the first man to break two hours in a record-eligible marathon.
The performance was recognised as a world record and gives Sawe one of the most extraordinary achievements among this year’s nominees.
Ja’Kobe Tharp – USA
American hurdler Ja’Kobe Tharp set a world record of 12.75 seconds in the 110m hurdles at the NCAA Championships.
He also won the Ultimate Championship and Diamond League titles and broke 13 seconds six times during the season.
Who Should Win the 2026 World Athlete of the Year Award?
The 10-man shortlist contains several athletes with genuine world-record credentials.
Duplantis raised the pole vault world record and won three major titles. Dos Santos broke the 400m hurdles world record, while Sawe became the first man to break two hours in a record-eligible marathon.
Pathirage combined a 92.62m national record with four major titles, while Kerr produced a world mile record.
Bednarek, Čeh, Díaz Hernández, Kebinatshipi and Tharp also arrive with major titles and exceptional performances of their own.
The result is a shortlist in which extraordinary performances are the standard rather than the exception.
How Does the World Athlete of the Year Vote Work?
The 2026 World Athlete of the Year awards have a new voting system.
Unlike previous years, World Athletics is no longer separating the main Athlete of the Year awards into track, field and out-of-stadium categories.
There are now 10 nominees for the men’s award and 10 for the women’s award.
Four voting groups will each contribute 25% to the final result:
- World Athletics fans
- Athletes who competed at World Athletics Series events in 2026
- Accredited media and content creators
- World Athletics Family
The voting will determine the finalists, with the top three men and top three women advancing to the final stage.
When Will the Winner Be Announced?
The key dates for the 2026 award are:
- October 6, 2026: Nominees announced
- October 17: Voting closes
- November 10–11: Six finalists announced
- November 29: World Athletics Awards in Monaco
The men’s and women’s World Athletes of the Year will be announced live at the Monaco ceremony.
AthleticsIndia Reader Poll
Who Is Your Pick for Men’s World Athlete of the Year 2026?
- Mondo Duplantis
- Alison dos Santos
- Sabastian Sawe
- Rumesh Tharanga Pathirage
- Josh Kerr
- Kenneth Bednarek
- Collen Kebinatshipi
- Kristjan Čeh
- Andy Díaz Hernández
- Ja’Kobe Tharp
Follow the World Athlete of the Year Race
AthleticsIndia will continue to track the 2026 World Athlete of the Year race, including the voting, finalists and eventual winners.
The next major update will come on November 10 and 11, when the six finalists are announced.