BEST OF THE BEST: Olympic champions named Athletes of the Year

PARIS, France (AFP) — Dutch marathon runner Sifan Hassan and Botswanan sprinter Letsile Tebogo, both of whom took gold at the Paris Olympics, were named “Athletes of the Year” by World Athletics in Monaco on Sunday.

Hassan, who also won the out-of-stadium award, was rewarded for her incredible performance in the French capital which stretched beyond the marathon and on to the track.

In the space of seven days, she won two bronze medals in the 5,000 meters, having also run a heat, and the 10,000m, and a spectacular gold in the marathon when she outsprinted Ethiopia’s then world record holder Tigist Assefa to win by just three seconds.

“I never thought I was going to win this one,” said Hassan after receiving her award in Monaco. “This year was crazy. It’s not only me –- all the athletes have been amazing.”

Tebogo received his award after becoming the first African to be crowned Olympic champion in the 200m, crossing the line at the Stade de France in 19.46 seconds, edging out the American Kenny Bednarek and favorite Noah Lyles.

“This means a lot,” said Tebogo who doubled up with the men’s track award.

“It’s not just about the team that is around you, there are a lot of fans out there that really want us to win something great for the continent.”

“It was a real surprise to hear my name because I didn’t expect this.”

‘This means a lot.’

The international athletics federation also decided to reward a number of other athletes who shone at the Olympics.

Swedish pole vaulter Armand Duplantis won the men’s field category after an unbeaten 2024, winning Olympic gold and setting a new world record of 6.26 meters.

Ukrainian Yaroslava Mahuchikh was the winner in the women’s event, after improving the old high jump world record to 2.10m at the age of just 22 and also winning Olympic gold in Paris.

In addition to Tebogo, Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone was rewarded in the track category for beating her own world record in the 400m hurdles, running 50.37 to win gold in Paris, while men’s Olympic marathon champion Tamirat Tola of Ethiopia was given the out-of-stadium award.

Ethiopian steeplechaser Sembo Almayew and Italian long-jumper Mattia Furlani were given the rising star awards.

During the ceremony, a moment was taken to remember last year’s men’s out-of-stadium athlete of the year Kelvin Kiptum, the marathon world record-holder who died in a road traffic accident in February.