Tobi Amusan, a holder of numerous world records, was not included on the final shortlist for the Women’s World Athlete of the Year Award.
Only three Africans were among the 11 nominees for the prize that the World Athletics revealed on Wednesday.
They are Faith Kipyegon from Kenya, Tigist Assefa and Gudaf Tsegay, both of whom are from Ethiopia.
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Amusan, who has the women’s 100-meter hurdles world record, made history last year when she became the first Nigerian to be nominated for the Women’s World Athlete of The Year award. Sydeny McLaughlin, who holds the 400-meter hurdles world record, won the award, though.
Amusan became just the second woman in Diamond League history to win three 100m hurdles titles in a row when she won the women’s 100m hurdles last month in 12.33 seconds, tying Dawn Nelson-Harper’s record.
Amusan won the 100-meter hurdles gold medal and set a new world record in the semi-final of the World Championships in Eugene, Oregon, last year with a time of 12.12 seconds.
In the process, she set a world record in an athletics event and became the first Nigerian to win a global championship.
At the Commonwealth Games, she also took home gold in the 4×100-meter relay and the 100-meter hurdle.
Five world record breakers are among this year’s nominees, including Faith Kipyegon of Kenya, the world 1500m and 5000m champion who set three world records in 2023 in the 1500m, one mile, and 5000m.
Other notables include Femke Bol of the Netherlands, who set a world indoor record in the 400-meter flat, Tigist Assefa of Ethiopia, who set a global marathon record and won the Berlin Marathon, and Maria Perez, who holds the world record for the 35-kilometer race walk.
The last world record holder on the list of contenders is Gudaf Tsegay. In order to win the competition at the Diamond League final in Eugene, Oregon, USA, the world champion in the 10,000-meter race broke Kipyegon’s 5000-meter world record.
The roster also includes Yaroslava Mahuchikh, the high jump champion in Budapest and Eugene, Shericka Jackson, the world and Diamond League champion in the 200 metres for Jamaica, Haruka Kitaguchi, the javelin champion for Japan, and Shericka Jackson.
Yulimar Rojas, a triple champion in the world and in the Diamond League, Sha’Carri Richardson, an American who won the 100-meter title at the world championships, and Winfed Yavi, a Bahraini who won the 3000-meter steeplechase title in Budapest and Eugene, are also on the list.
The World Athletes of the Year voting ends on October 28 at midnight.
While fans can vote online through World Athletics social media platforms, the World Athletics Council and World Athletics Family will cast their ballots by email.
The World Athletics Council’s vote will determine 50% of the outcome, while the votes of the World Athletics Family and the general public will each determine 25% of the outcome.
Following the voting period, World Athletics will announce the finalists on November 13 and 14, and on December 11 the winners will be revealed on the World Athletics social media platforms.