Two Caribbean Athletes Among Nominees for 2024 World Athletics Track Athlete of the Year
News Americas, New York, NY, October 21, 2024: Caribbean superstars Julien Alfred of St. Lucia and Marileidy Paulino of the Dominican Republic are among the six athletes nominated for the prestigious 2024 World Athletics Women’s Track Athlete of the Year award.
St Lucia’s Julien Alfred celebrates after winning the women’s 100m final of the athletics event at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games at Stade de France in Saint-Denis, north of Paris, on August 3, 2024. (Photo by Martin BERNETTI / AFP) (Photo by MARTIN BERNETTI/AFP via Getty Images)
Alfred and Paulino will face stiff competition from Kenya’s Beatrice Chebet, the Olympic 5,000-m and 10,000-m champion, and Faith Kipyegon, who secured Olympic gold in the 1,500-m. Additionally, the USA’s Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, the Olympic 400-m hurdles gold medalist, and Gabby Thomas, the 200m Olympic champion, are also in the running.
Marileidy Paulino of the Dominican Republic wins the 400m during Athlos NYC at Icahn Stadium on September 26, 2024 in New York City. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Athlos/Getty Images for Athlos)
Julien Alfred, at just 23, has had a stellar year, winning gold in the 100-m and silver in the 200m at the Paris Olympics, while also taking home the World Indoor 60m title. She capped off her incredible season by being crowned the 100-m champion at the Wanda Diamond League.
Marileidy Paulino, 27, was unbeaten in 2024 in the women’s 400-m, securing gold at the Paris Olympics and claiming victory at the Wanda Diamond League.
On the men’s side, Americans Rai Benjamin, Grant Holloway, and Noah Lyles, along with Letsile Tebogo of Botswana, Emmanuel Wanyonyi of Kenya, and Jakob Ingebrigtsen of Norway, have been nominated for the Men’s Track Athlete of the Year.
The winners will be decided through public voting on World Athletics’ social media platforms, with voting set to close on October 27, 2024.