Fans furious after Faith Kipyegon, Beatrice Chebet snubbed from World Athletics top track award

World Athletics is facing heavy backlash after excluding Kenyan stars Faith Kipyegon and Beatrice Chebet from the shortlist for the 2025 Track Athlete of the Year award.

The global athletics body announced on Tuesday, November 4, 2025, that American hurdler-turned-sprinter Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone and Dutch hurdler Femke Bol were the two athletes advancing as finalists.

“Female Track Athlete of the Year finalists: Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, Femke Bol… Winner will be announced on 30 November,” read a post shared on World Athletics’ official social media platforms.

The annual award recognizes the most outstanding female performer in track events.

The initial five-person longlist, which was narrowed down to the final two, also included the three excluded stars.

Female Track Athlete of the Year finalists ?

Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone ??
Femke Bol ??

Winner will be announced on 30 November.#AthleticsAwards pic.twitter.com/A4Aa3nJsGI

— World Athletics (@WorldAthletics) November 4, 2025

The finalists are determined by a weighted voting system: The World Athletics Council holds a decisive 50% of the vote, the World Athletics Family (comprising officials and members) holds 25%, and the public fan vote accounts for the remaining 25%.

However, the news immediately triggered widespread criticism from fans and observers, who flooded comment sections to protest the decision, arguing that the records and achievements of the omitted athletes were undeniable.

CNN international correspondent Larry Madowo quipped, “No Faith Kipyegon or Beatrice Chebet? It’s giving Tanzanian elections.”

Another user, Edgar Wabwire, wrote, “This award has lost my respect. Where is Beatrice Chebet and Faith Kipyegon?”

A third fan added, “With all due respect, Femke Bol being a finalist over Melissa Jefferson-Wooden and Beatrice Chebet is legitimately insane.”

“Chebet set a historic sub14 world record and won two golds and yet doesn't get to be a finalist. Shameful to say the least,” said Mark Muchai on X.

Many also questioned the exclusion of Melissa Jefferson-Wooden, who dominated the sprints at the World Championships by winning the 100m, 200m, and 4x100m relay, going undefeated in the 100m all season and clocking the five fastest times worldwide.

The fan outrage was exacerbated by the fact that data from the initial voting round suggested the Kenyan athletes were the most popular among the public.

Reports by sports outlet Running Magazine indicated that Faith Kipyegon led the fan vote, amassing approximately 48,000 votes, while Beatrice Chebet received around 31,000.

However, the combined 75% weight of the votes from the World Athletics Council and World Athletics Family proved sufficient to overturn the fan preference and determine the two finalists.

Kenyans were especially outraged given that both Kipyegon and Chebet had historic seasons while McLaughlin-Levrone and Bol competed in fewer events during the year.

Who are they?

Faith Kipyegon

Widely regarded as the greatest female 1500m runner in history, Kipyegon is the only athlete ever to win three consecutive Olympic gold medals in the event (2016, 2020, 2024), setting a new Olympic record in Paris. The multiple-time world champion made history in 2023 by clinching both the 1500m and 5000m titles at a single World Championships. She also holds world records in the 1500m, mile, and 5000m, underscoring her dominance across distances.

Beatrice Chebet

Chebet has emerged as Kenya’s long-distance queen, excelling in the 5000m and 10,000m. She won double gold in both events at the 2024 Paris Olympics, a first for a Kenyan woman, and holds world records in the 5000m, 10,000m, and 5km road race. A multiple-time World Cross Country champion, Chebet also became the first woman to run under 29 minutes for the 10,000m.

Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone

The American 400m hurdles specialist is the reigning Olympic and World Champion in the 400m hurdles, though she focused on the flat 400m in 2025. She won the World 400m Champion title and was part of the gold-medal winning World 4x400m Relay team. McLaughlin-Levrone's raw speed was on full display as she ran the second-fastest 400m race of all time with a time of 47.78 seconds.

Femke Bol

The Dutch star has risen to prominence in both the 400m hurdles and flat 400m. A World Champion and Olympic bronze medallist, Bol also holds the indoor 400m world record. She made history at the 2022 European Championships by winning an unprecedented treble in the 400m, 400m hurdles, and 4x400m relay.

It remains to be seen whether World Athletics will move to address any of the concerns raised.