Jamaica’s Elaine Thompson-Herah has been unveiled as one of the five finalists for female athlete of the year.
Thompson-Herah has been nominated on the back of a phenomenal season on the track which saw her achieve new heights in the sport.
She ran 10.61 to win the 100 metres in Tokyo and followed that up with 21.53 to win the 200 metres, becoming the only woman to win the Olympic sprint double on two occasions after also doing so in Rio five years ago.
She was also a part of Jamaica’s victorious Women’s 4x100 metres relay team.
After the Olympics, Thompson-Herah went on to achieve even more success.
At the Prefontaine Classic in Eugene, Oregon on August 21st, Thompson sped to a personal best and national record time of 10.54 seconds, the second-fastest time ever in the women’s 100 metres.
She broke 10.7 seconds four times this season, including in the Diamond League final in Zurich where she ran 10.65 to win.
Thompson-Herah has been nominated for the award alongside Dutch distance runner, Sifan Hassan, American hurdler, Sydney McLaughlin, Venezuelan Triple Jumper, Yulimar Rojas and Kenyan middle-distance specialist, Faith Kipyegon.
Hassan won the 5000, 10,000 metres double in Tokyo and also broke the 10,000 metres world record this season.
McLaughlin set two new world records in the women’s 400 metres hurdles on her way to winning gold in Tokyo.
Rojas set a new triple jump world record to win gold in Tokyo, and Kipyegon set a new Kenyan record in the women’s 1500 metres while also winning gold in Tokyo.
The winner will be announced at the World Athletics Awards to be held virtually on December 1st.