The International Association of Athletic Federations (IAAF) on Tuesday evening feted the world’s top athletes during its annual Athletics Awards.
And at the top of the list are black athletes from across the globe.
Kenyan marathoner Eliud Kipchoge was crowned the male World Athlete of the Year. He earned the accolade for his display of dominance in marathons. He not only won the London Marathon in April but also the Berlin Marathon five months later and smashed the world record, “representing the biggest single improvement on a men’s marathon world record since 1967.”
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What a way to end a perfect year for @EliudKipchoge ??
Hear from the man himself below⬇️ pic.twitter.com/pw64IXPHui
— IAAF (@iaaforg) December 4, 2018
Kipchoge edged out America’s Christian Coleman, Sweden’s Armand Duplantis, France’s Kevin Mayer, and Qatar’s Abderrahman Samba.
The Female World Athlete of the Year award went to Colombian Caterine Ibarguen. She is a star in high, long and triple jump. She earned the awards winning her events at the Central American and Caribbean Games, the IAAF Continental Cup and at the IAAF Diamond League finals, where she won two in two different cities within 24 hours.
Atleta femenina del año @tripleCIbarguen ???#AthleticsAwards pic.twitter.com/ul4ZaCHALE
— IAAF (@iaaforg) December 4, 2018
According to the IAAF, “She was unbeaten in all eight of her triple jump competitions, ending the year with a world-leading mark of 14.96m in her specialist event and a national record of 6.93m in the long jump.”
Ibarguen triumphed over Kenya’s Beatrice Chepkoech, Britain’s Dina Asher-Smith, Bahama’s Shaunae Miller-Uibo and Belgium’s Nafissatou Thiam.
The female rising star award was conferred to U.S. sprinter, 19-year-old Sydney McLaughlin. McLaughlin broke her own record at the under-20 400m event, making it the fastest speed at the event in 2018 and putting her in the top 10 on the world all-time list.
Two world U20 records at 400m hurdles (52.75) ✅
Two U20 indoor world bests at 400m (50.36i) ✅
World senior lead at 400m hurdles ✅
US collegiate champion at 400m hurdles ✅?? @GoSydGo wins Female Rising Star Award for 2018 #AthleticsAwards pic.twitter.com/Mi8G7Uafzs
— IAAF (@iaaforg) December 4, 2018
Her achievements also included running the fastest ever indoor performances by an under-20 athlete at the 300m and 400m events and ending the year as the world U20 leader for the 200m indoors and outdoors, the 400m indoors and outdoors, the 400m hurdles and the 300m indoors.
McLaughlin defeated stars like Briana Williams from Jamaica, Meseret Belete and Meskerem Mamo from Ethiopia and Celliphine Chespol from Kenya.
