Sabastian Sawe Clear Favourite as World Athletics Abandons Controversial Athlete of the Year Awards Format

World Athletics has finally yielded to pressure and changed the controversial Athlete of the Year Awards system introduced three years ago.

The global athletics governing body made changes in 2023, splitting the prestigious award into three categories namely: Athlete of the Year Track, Athlete of the Year Out-of-Stadia and Athlete of the Year Field awarded to both men and women.

This was a departure from the old format where one top male and female athlete would be crowned and it received a backlash from athletes, pundits and fans who felt World Athletes had diluted the award, taking away its prestige and shine.

Now, World Athletics has announced a revamped voting process for its prestigious awards, set to debut at the 2026 ceremony in Monaco on November 29. The updated format will also introduce a new "Moment of the Year" honour, decided entirely by fan votes.

From 2026, the coveted World Athlete of the Year award will be reserved for one outstanding male and one female athlete, discontinuing the previous system of separate awards for track, field, and out-of-stadium disciplines.

Under the new rules, a panel of eight statisticians—two from World Athletics and one from each of the six continental associations—will select 10 nominees for both the men's and women's categories. A four-way voting process will then determine the final rankings, with each group's vote holding a 25% weight.

The four voting groups are: Subscribers to the World Athletics+ platform. Athletes who competed in World Athletics Series events during 2026. Accredited media members, including journalists, commentators, and content creators. The "World Athletics Family," which includes the President, council members, event directors, and other key stakeholders.

This combined vote will narrow the field to three finalists in each category. These six athletes will be invited to the World Athletics Awards in Monaco, where the winners will be announced live on stage.

In addition to the main honors, the ceremony will continue to feature awards for Rising Star (men's and women's), Coach of the Year, and the President's Award.

Kenya’s Sabastian Sawe, who won the Male Athlete of the Year Out-of-Stadia award in 2025 is the hot favourite to win the outright Male Athlete of the Year Award this year after his historic sub-two-hour marathon run when he became the first man to run an official 42km race under two hours in London in April, clocking 1:59:30.

A significant addition is the fan-driven Moment of the Year award. This honour is designed to celebrate the season's most memorable occasion, recognizing moments that create powerful emotions and inspire fans globally. The winner will be determined exclusively through voting on World Athletics' social media channels.