We are getting closer to November 29 when the winners will be announced and World Athletics has started publishing the lists of the finalists. It is worth going through them and try to guess the winner.
The Moment of the Year finalists are
Botswana’s men’s team who won the 4x400 m at the World Athletics Relays
Josh Kerr’s who broke the mile world record with 3:42.66
Sabastian Sawe who ran the first under-2 hours Marathon with 1:59:30
My favourite for the title is the Marathon one, all the more so since there was another sub-2 performance for the second finisher and the third went also under the previous world record.
The Fair Play finalists are
Irine Cheptai who during the Sydney Marathon shared her water with paralympic athlete Michael Roeger
Mondo Duplantis and Emmanouil Karalis who combine fierce competition with genuine friendship and mutual respect. (And their competition at Zurich where they jumped 6.25 and 6.20 m respectively figured also in the list of Moments of the Year candidates)
Aaron Beggs and Robson De Oliveira carried a struggling Ajay Haridasse across the line in the Boston Marathon
I would like to see Mondo and Manolo win the title, the image of friendship they project is unique.
The Coach of the Year finalists are
Felipe de Siqueira, coach of Alison dos Santos
Rolando Greene, coach of Masai Russell and Devynne Charlton
Ken Harnden, coach of Ja’Kobe Tharp
It is not easy to make predictions in this case. If Dos Santos wins the overall title, it is probable that the coach title go to R. Greene. (Did you notice that all three coaches are hurdle specialists? 2026 was indeed a great year for hurdles).
The Photograph of the Year finalists
There were 146 entries this year and a first selection narrowed the list to 10. I hope that, just like last year, WA will give us access to the shortlist of 10. If you follow my blog you'll remember that last year I was not happy with the selection for the title, that I found insipid, just a photo playing with shadows. Speaking of which, shadows are dominating again this year (but this time both photos are interesting). Here they are
'Men's 4x100m finish silhouette' by Tom Jenkins, taken during the Commonwealth Games
‘Chasing light’ by Gaëlle Mobuchon featuring Rai Benjamin during the 400 m of the Ultimate Championship
‘Your medal amidst water droplets’ by Victor Seco Muñoz at the final river jump of the 3000 m steeplechase of the European Championships
I am not a great fan of shadows and I find the photo of Muñoz really moving. Lea Meyer was battling for a medal With F. Krause and A. Finot, but she fell and her hopes evaporated. At this precise moment, she knows it. (She finished fourth in the end, being passed for the medal by O. Gürth).
The Man World Athlete of the Year finalists
Alison dos Santos, who set a world record with 45.80 at the 400 m hurdles
Mondo Duplantis, who set a world record with 6.31 m at the pole vault
Sabastian Sawe, who set a world record with 1:59:30 at the Marathon
I have nothing to add here: this is my top-three list. And my prediction is for Dos Santos winning the title, Sawe being my favourite for the Moment of the Year.
The Woman World Athlete of the Year finalists
Melissa Jefferson-Wooden, who set the third all-time performance with 21.47 at the 200 m
Masai Russell, who set a world record with 12.09 at the 100 m hurdles
Audrey Werro, who set the third all-time performance with 1:53.70 at the 800 m
My choice for athlete of the year was Marileidy Paulino who finished fifth in the classification that determined the finalists, behind Tigst Assefa. Given the list of three my prediction for the title is Masai Russell. She not only broke the record but she was (like Dos Santos) unbeaten in her discipline.
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