Voting is officially underway on the World Athletics social media platforms to determine the finalists for the 2025 Out of Stadium Athlete of the Year Awards, with three Kenyan stars — Peres Jepchirchir, Agnes Ngetich, and Sebastian Sawe — among the global nominees.
These awards, part of the World Athletics Awards 2025, recognize athletes who have excelled in road racing and walking events outside traditional track and field competitions. Both the Men’s and Women’s Out of Stadium categories feature five nominees each, with fans invited to vote via Facebook, Instagram, and X (formerly Twitter) until Sunday, November 2. The winners will be revealed during the official World Athletics Awards ceremony on Sunday, November 30, 2025.
Kenyan nominees among global elite
Peres Jepchirchir, the reigning World Marathon Champion, has continued her dominance on the global stage, capturing her fifth international title this year. She is joined by Agnes Ngetich, who made headlines after breaking the women-only world record in the 10km and running the third-fastest half marathon performance in history.
In the men’s category, Sebastian Sawe earned his nomination following a remarkable year where he clinched victories at both the London and Berlin Marathons, cementing his place among the top marathoners globally.
Their inclusion in the shortlist reaffirms Kenya’s strong reputation in long-distance running, coming shortly after the country’s successful showing at the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, where Kenyan athletes delivered several world-leading performances.
The competition
Other nominees in the Women’s Out of Stadium Athlete of the Year category include:
- Tigst Assefa (Ethiopia): World marathon silver medallist and London Marathon winner; holds a women-only world-leading record.
- Sifan Hassan (Netherlands): Winner of the Sydney Marathon and third at the London Marathon.
- Maria Pérez (Spain): Double world champion in the 20km and 35km race walks; remained unbeaten throughout 2025.
The Men’s Out of Stadium Athlete of the Year category features:
- Caio Bonfim (Brazil): World 20km race walk champion and 35km race walk silver medallist.
- Evan Dunfee (Canada): World 35km race walk champion and world record holder in the same distance.
- Yomif Kejelcha (Ethiopia): 2025 world leader in both 5km and 10km road races.
- Alphonce Simbu (Tanzania): World marathon champion and Boston Marathon runner-up.
Broader World Athletics Award categories
The Out of Stadium categories are part of a larger World Athletics Awards programme that also honours the Track and Field Athletes of the Year, whose nominees were announced earlier in October. The overall Men’s and Women’s World Athletes of the Year will be chosen from among the winners of the track, field, and out-of-stadium divisions.
This year’s nominations highlight the exceptional consistency and dominance of East African runners, particularly from Kenya, Ethiopia, and Tanzania, who continue to shape the landscape of global distance running.
Fans and athletics enthusiasts can participate in the ongoing voting process through the official World Athletics social media pages, helping decide which athletes advance to the final shortlist.
