The athletes of the year 2024

World Athletics surprised us once more by changing the year's best athletes awards. Last year they had nominated 3+3 year's best in track, field and road. This year I was expecting something similar, all the more so since they had kept this classification when they named 6+6 finalists. But when the winners were announced we discovered that there were in fact 3+3 winners in categories plus 1+1 overall winners. 

So this year's best athletes are L. Tebogo and S. Hassan. To say that I missed them in my predictions is an understatement. As you know my favourites were Tentoglou and Thiam (with perhaps Duplantis and McLaughlin as more realistic choices). But, I would never have predicted the WA choice. 

And what is curious, the 3+3 best nomination was also preserved in this year's classification. So McLaughlin was best women on track (Tebogo being obviously best for the men's category). As I have "predicted" (given Lord Sebastian's sympathy for Ukraine) Mahuchikh is best woman for field. (But I am a fan of Thiam and I cannot understand why she has ben snubbed). Duplantis beat Tentoglou for men's best in field (something I can live with). Hassan and Tola were nominated best for "out of stadium" and Hassan went on to win the global title. Of course, I am happy with Hassan's nomination but, to tell the truth, I was not expecting it.

My single correct prediction is that of M. Furlani as best male rising star. On the female side A. Topic was clearly a victim of her injury during the Olympics. Had she won a medal there, she would definitely have topped the list. But the nomination of Almayew is perfectly acceptable.

In my postscript to my article on finalists I commented that I found only one photo worth mentioning among the three finalists but I was afraid that WA would select a photo of Lyles. Well I was too pessimistic. In the end it was the photo of the final sprint between Hassan and Assefa in the olympic marathon that won the prize.

Since that was my preferred photo, I count it as a correct prediction 🙂.

Speaking if photos, WA were good to their words and did indeed publish a collection of the shortlisted photos. You can find them in what they call a digital exhibition on WA's site. Alas, there is nothing exceptional about this year's photos. If I had to choose three finalists I would have chosen (apart from the Hassan-Assefa one) the photo of Barega with Aregawi and the photo of Neugebauer in the sand pit. (I cannot understand how the photo of the men's 100 m finish could make it to the shortlist. There are hundreds of photos like this. Perhaps it was chosen because it's the one where Lyles won he gold medal).

Just when I was sitting down to write this article, World Athletics announced the name of the Fair Play award winner: S. Skotheim. He was one of the favourites for a medal in the olympic decathlon (after his silver in the Europeans) but then he no-heighted in the pole vault, losing all chances. Still, he decided to pursue the competition and paced his compatriot M. Rooth in the 1500 m, helping him secure the gold medal. I find the choice of Skotheim an excellent one. (Also because it is bringing a combined-events' athlete to the limelight).