Africa has four athletes on the 2026 World Athlete of the Year nomination list, but Nigeria will have no representative in either the men’s or women’s category.
World Athletics named 20 nominees — 10 women and 10 men — with Ethiopia’s Tigst Assefa and Kenya’s Agnes Ngetich selected in the women’s field, while Botswana’s Collen Kebinatshipi and Kenya’s Sabastian Sawe made the men’s list.
Neither Tobi Amusan nor Kayinsola Ajayi appears among the nominees.
The absence is significant for Nigeria after both athletes remained prominent on the global circuit during 2026, but the official nomination list does not establish that either athlete was unfairly excluded.
Africa’s four carry major credentials
Assefa’s nomination follows a season featuring major marathon success, including victories in Berlin and London.
Ngetich also produced a powerful distance-running campaign, combining road and cross-country success with world-leading performances.
On the men’s side, Kebinatshipi strengthened Botswana’s growing sprint reputation with a breakthrough 400m season that included major titles and repeated sub-44-second performances.
Sawe’s nomination reflects another elite road-running campaign for Kenya, including a landmark London Marathon victory.
Together, the four nominees give Africa representation across track, road running and the marathon.
Nigeria, however, is absent.
Amusan misses out despite another elite season
Amusan still finished 2026 among the world’s leading sprint hurdlers.
The Nigerian claimed silver in the women’s 100m hurdles at the World Athletics Ultimate Championship and remained near the top of the global rankings.
Her absence from the nomination list is therefore notable, but the competition in her event was severe.
Masai Russell, who made the official list, produced a dominant season that included a world record and major championship victories.
The contrast matters.
Amusan remained world class.
But World Athletics’ nomination panel selected other athletes whose seasons carried stronger championship, record or dominance cases.
Ajayi’s rise also falls short of nomination
Ajayi’s omission carries a different weight.
The Nigerian sprinter climbed into the elite of the men’s 100m in 2026 and produced some of the fastest performances of his career.
He also finished just outside the medals at the Ultimate Championship.
Those performances confirmed Ajayi’s emergence as one of Africa’s leading sprinters.
But the men’s nomination field includes athletes whose seasons were defined by major global titles, world records and exceptional championship performances.
For Ajayi, 2026 strengthened his place among the world’s fastest men.
It did not produce a World Athlete of the Year nomination.
Voting now takes over
World Athletics’ expert panel selected the initial 20 nominees.
The awards process now moves into voting, with fans, athletes, media and the World Athletics Family all contributing to the final outcome.
Three male and three female finalists will eventually emerge before the winners are announced in Monaco.
For Africa, the immediate picture is positive.
Ethiopia, Kenya and Botswana all have athletes still in contention.
For Nigeria, the contrast is sharper.
Amusan remains one of the world’s leading hurdlers.
Ajayi has pushed himself into the upper tier of global sprinting.
Neither made the final 20.
Africa remains firmly represented.
Nigeria will watch the next stage from outside the nomination list.