At the age of 35, Fraser-Pryce became the oldest woman to win a 100m world title.
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Jamaica’s Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce is among the five finalists for World Athletics Female Athlete of the Year Award.
The five-time world 100m champion made the cut after the three-way voting process determined the finalists.
The World Athletics Council and the World Athletics Family cast their votes by email, while fans logged their decisions online via the World Athletics social media platforms where a record 1.3 million votes were registered.
The World Athletics Council’s vote counted for 50 per cent of the result, while the World Athletics Family’s votes and the public votes each counted for 25 per cent of the final result.
Shericka Jackson, the 2022 World 200m champion, failed to make the cut.
Fraser-Pryce being among the finalists was not surprising given the outstanding year she had last season when she became the first running athlete to win five world titles in the same event and ran a record seven times under 10.7s including a world-leading 10.62s.
She was also the Diamond League champion for the fifth time in her illustrious career.
Also among the finalists is the newly minted 100m hurdles world-record holder Tobi Amusan of Nigeria, who added the Diamond League and Commonwealth Games title to her resume during the past season. She set a new world record of 12.12 during the semi-finals of the World Athletics Championships in Eugene, Oregon in July before running a wind-aided 12.06 to win her first global title.
Another world-record holder, Sydney McLaughlin of the United States, is also among the finalists. The super-talented American broke the 400m hurdles world record twice during the season – 51.41 at the US Championships before lowering it to a jaw-dropping 50.68 in the final of the World Championships.
McLaughlin won a second gold medal in Oregon as a member of the USA’s 4x400m relay team.
Also among the finalists is Venezuela’s Yulimar Rojas, the 2022 World Indoor and Outdoor triple jump champion. The 2022 Diamond League champion also improved upon her own world record in the event with a 15.74m performance in Belgrade.
Peru’s Kimberly Garcia completes the five finalists. Garcia, the World 20km race walk champion is her country’s first ever World Athletics Championships medallist. Garcia is also the World 35km race walk champion in a South American record that saw her complete a race walk double.
She is also World Athletics Race Walking Team Championships 20km bronze medallist.
The winner of World Athletics Women Athlete of the Year will be announced in early December.
Leighton Levy is a journalist with 28 years’ experience covering crime, entertainment, and sports. He joined the staff at SportsMax.TV as a content editor two years ago and is enjoying the experience of developing sports content and new ideas. At SportsMax.tv he is pursuing his true passion - sports.
World champs bronze medallist Sada Williams receives prestigious national honour from Barbados
For her trailblazing exploits in track and field Sada Williams was on Thursday recognized by her home country of Barbados at their Independence Day National Honours ceremony.
Williams, who turns 26 on Friday, is a back-to-back World Championship 400m bronze medallist and is the first Barbadian women to win a medal at a global championship. She won a bronze medal in the 400m at the 2022 World Championships in Eugene, Oregon and repeated the feat at the 2023 Championships in Budapest, Hungary in August. In so doing she became the first Barbadian athlete to win a global medal at consecutive championships.
She also won the 400m at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, England and took home a silver medal at the NACAC Championships that same year.
For that and more, she was awarded The Gold Trident of Excellence Award in recognition of her outstanding achievements and dedicated service to her country. It was an honour to be appreciated, she said.
“I feel very honoured to be recognized this year and last year and I am hoping to continue to do great things reach further,” said Williams who was attending the Independence Day Parade for the very first time.
World champions Jackson, Williams, Watson lead nominees for RJR Sports Foundation Athlete of the Year
The race for Jamaica's Sportsman and Sportswoman of the Year for 2023 has officially begun, with the announcement of the nominees on Wednesday. The 63rd RJR Sports Foundation Women and Men Athletes of the Year will see a fierce competition among some of the nation's top athletic talents, with World Athletics Championships gold medallists Shericka Jackson, Danielle Williams, and Antonio Watson among the standout contenders.
The nominees for the People's Choice Award include Jackson's impressive 200m victory, Williams' triumph in the 100m hurdles, and Watson's groundbreaking performance at the 2023 World Athletics Championships in Budapest. The anticipation for these accolades is high, considering the outstanding achievements of these athletes on the global stage.
The winners of the prestigious awards will be unveiled during a ceremony scheduled for January 19, 2024. Jackson, who is considered a heavy favorite to secure the award she shared with Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce in 2022, showcased another stellar season, adding a silver medal in the 100m at the World Championships in Budapest. Her exceptional form was highlighted by securing the Diamond League 100m and 200m titles in Eugene, Oregon.
Williams, too, enjoyed a remarkable year, surprising many by claiming victory in the 100m hurdles in Budapest, where she outperformed formidable rivals such as Jasmine Camacho-Quinn, Kendra Harrison, and Tobi Amusan.
The competition for the Women Athlete of the Year is intensified with the inclusion of World Championship bronze medallists Rushell Clayton and Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, along with Suncorp Super Netball League standout Jhaniele Fowler.
Antonio Watson, the trailblazing Jamaican sprinter, leads the nominations for the Men Athlete of the Year. Watson made history as the first Jamaican man in 40 years to clinch the gold medal in the World Championships 400m.
The list of male nominees also features World Championships 110m hurdles silver medalist and Diamond League champion Hansle Parchment, along with standout long jumpers Wayne Pinnock, Tajay Gayle, the silver and bronze medalists from Budapest as well as Pan American 400m hurdles champion Jaheel Hyde, and motorsports star Fraser McConnell.
The People's Choice Award nominations encompass memorable moments, including Shamar Nicholson's equalizing goal in the recent CONCACAF Nations League quarter-final match against Canada and Drew Spence's incredible free kick against Canada in their Olympic qualifier.
The selection panel, chaired by Mike Fennell, boasts a distinguished lineup including retired media practitioner Courtney Sergeant, Olympian Deon Hemmings-McCatty, President of Jamaica’s Inter-Secondary School Sports Association Keith Wellington, and Michael Hall, former chairman of the Sports Foundation and League Operations Manager of the Caribbean Premier League.
Bahamian Olympic 400m champion Steven Gardiner receives prestigious Golden Jubilee Independence Award
In recognition of his exceptional contributions to Bahamian sports history, Tokyo Olympic gold medalist Steven Gardiner was on Monday bestowed with The Golden Jubilee Independence Award of Supreme Honor by the Government of The Bahamas. The accolade celebrates Gardiner's remarkable achievements on the track, solidifying his legacy as a trailblazer for the nation.
The Special Golden Jubilee of Independence Award recognizes citizens for their outstanding contributions to The Bahamas in various spheres of human endeavor encompassing both the pre-Independence and post-Independence periods of Bahamian history.
Gardiner's triumph in the 400m event at the Tokyo Olympics not only secured his status as the 2021 Olympic champion but also etched his name in Bahamian sports history as the first Bahamian man to clinch Olympic gold in any sport. The 28-year-old sprinter, also the 2019 World Champion, has had a stellar career, boasting Olympic bronze and World Championship silver medals.
Known for his blazing speed, Gardiner holds the Bahamas national records for the 400m and 200m, clocking impressive times of 43.48 and 19.75, respectively. Indoors, he has demonstrated his prowess with a national best performance of 31.56 over 300m, setting an area best and world-best performance.
Despite setbacks caused by injuries that sidelined him during the 2022 and 2023 World Championships in Oregon and Budapest, Gardiner remains hopeful for a triumphant return at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Expressing his gratitude for the prestigious award, Gardiner acknowledged the consistent support from God, family, friends, and supporters. In an Instagram post, he shared his anticipation for the upcoming track season and the opportunities to showcase his talent, stating, "I look forward to this upcoming track season and the opportunities to showcase my talent and make my country proud."
Gardiner's achievements add to The Bahamas' proud legacy in track and field, a legacy that includes notable figures like contemporary athletes Shaunae Miller-Uibo and Tonique Williams.
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