Author: Kurunzi Writer

World Athletics has announced the three finalists for the 2025 Men’s Rising Star Award — and Kenyans dominate the shortlist, with two of the three nominees.

The award, which honors the year’s best u-20 athlete, will be presented at the World Athletics Awards on 30 November.

This year’s nominations recognize some of the sport’s most exciting young talents, following standout performances across major global competitions, including the World Athletics Championships Tokyo 25.

Leading the Kenyan charge is Phanuel Koech, who made history earlier this season by breaking the world u-20 1500m record.

Few had heard of Koech prior to the Wanda Diamond League meeting in Paris two months ago. But the Kenyan teenager, in what was just his second 1500m race, catapulted himself into the sport’s consciousness by finishing second in a highly competitive field, breaking the u-20 record with 3:27.72.

His time also propelled him to ninth on the senior world all-time list, bumping Olympic bronze medalist Yared Nuguse out of the top 10. The world record (3:26.00) is held by Morocco’s Hicham El Guerrouj from 1998.

One month later in London, in Koech’s next Diamond League appearance, he won in 3:28.82 and beat world champion Josh Kerr, among others.

When asked which performance he values most – the world U20 record or a Diamond League victory – he said the latter.

“I am looking ahead; I am no longer focusing on the u-20 category,” he said.

“While I value the world record I ran in Paris, which will stay in the history books as a great moment in my career, beating Josh Kerr at the London Diamond League was a greater moment for me as it shows the potential I have and that I am now able to compete against senior athletes.”

In between his races in Paris and London, Koech also won at the Continental Tour Gold meeting in Ostrava, clocking 3:29.05. He now owns three of the four fastest 1500m times by an u-20 athlete, but he insists he has never focused on chasing specific times or records.

His goal for London, in fact, was to win as he’d been told it would act as his trials for the World Championships in Tokyo. His Paris outing, meanwhile, was more about gaining valuable experience.

“Running my first Diamond League race in Paris, I had no experience but believed I had the potential,” said the 19-year-old. “I wanted to see what would happen if I reached the 300m mark with the leading contenders.

At the Tokyo World Championships, Koech fell during Heat 4 of the first round and finished 12th, thus being eliminated from advancing to the semi-final. The top six athletes in each heat advance to the semis.

In a video shared online, Sweden’s Samuel Pihlström appeared to give Koech a slight nudge on the back, causing him to trip and tumble to the ground.

Kenya appealed for the 18-year-old to advance to the semi-final, but the appeal was rejected.

He is joined by compatriot Edmund Serem, who impressed on the world stage with a bronze medal in the 3,000m steeplechase at the Tokyo World Championships. Serem capped off his season with a strong runner-up finish at the Diamond League final.

Serem competed in the 3000m steeplechase at the 2025 Xiamen Diamond League event in China, in April 2025, running a personal best time of 8:08.50. The following weekend, he secured second place in the 3000m steeplechase at the 2025 Shanghai Diamond League, running a time of 8:08.68.

In May 2025, he ran a new personal best of 8:07.47 to finish third in the 3000m steeplechase at the 2025 Meeting International Mohammed VI d’Athlétisme de Rabat, also part of the 2025 Diamond League, and followed that with a steeplechase win at the Kip Keino Classic in Nairobi on 31 May, 2025.

Ethiopia’s Biniam Mehary completes the trio of finalists. The teenager set a world u-20 record over 3000m on the short track and finished fifth in the 5000m at the World Championships, marking him as one of Africa’s most promising long-distance runners.

The dominance of Kenyan athletes in this year’s shortlist highlights the nation’s ongoing success in nurturing world-class young talent. Koech and Serem will be strong contenders to follow in the footsteps of past Rising Star winners who have gone on to achieve senior global titles.

The Women’s Rising Star Award finalists will be announced tomorrow.

Alongside the Rising Star categories, the 2025 World Athletics Awards will also celebrate achievements across the sport with honours including World Athlete of the Year, Coaching Achievement Award, Woman of the Year, Photograph of the Year, Member Federation Award and the President’s Award.

On 4 November 2025, World Athletics released the final two names in the running for Female Track Athlete of the Year: Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone and Femke Bol. Two phenomenal athletes, without question. But for many athletics fanatics, the announcement felt less like celebration and more like a provocation.

How did runners such as Faith Kipyegon or Beatrice Chebet or Melissa Jefferson-Wooden — after seasons of record-breaking dominance — get left waiting at the door?

The Case for McLaughlin-Levrone and Bol

There is no denying that both finalists earned their place on merit.

McLaughlin-Levrone stunned the athletics world by switching from her familiar hurdles discipline into the flat 400m and running 47.78 seconds to win gold at the Tokyo World Championships. A championship record, the fastest women’s 400m in 40 years and second on the all-time list. That is not a footnote. It is a landmark.

Bol’s dossier is equally sharp: unbeaten for much of the season, she successfully defended her world 400m-hurdles crown in Tokyo in a world-leading 51.54, capping a torrid run of Diamond League dominance and a European Athlete of the Year title.

From a technical standpoint this makes sense: two athletes at the very peak of their form, each in a one-lap event, with clear championship narratives.

The snub that hurt: what the excluded did this year

But this is not just about who is on the shortlist. It is almost more about who isn’t. And that is what has stirred the athletics community.

Take Melissa Jefferson-Wooden: at the World Championships she did something almost cinematic — the sprint double (100m & 200m) and a 4×100m gold — posting a championship record 10.61 in the 100 and a world-leading 21.68 in the 200. By achieving this “sprint triple”, Jefferson became the first American woman to do so and only the second woman ever after Jamaica’s sprint sensation Shelly-Ann Fraser Pryce.

Then Kenya’s own: Faith Kipyegon rewrote the 1,500m conversation, lowering her own world record to 3:48.68 and defending her world 1500m title making it four in row— feats that keep her in the same breath as the event’s immortals.

Beatrice Chebet ran down records in the 5,000m and 3,000m. Chebet broke the 5000m World Record at the Prefontaine Classic in Eugene, clocking an astonishing 13:58.06 to take 2.15 seconds off the previous record of 14:00.21 and become the first woman in history to break the 14-minute barrier.

The long-distance queen then completed another 5000m and 10,000m gold medal double at the World Championships in Tokyo (mirroring her 2024 Olympic double). Despite her historic feats, she was snubbed again from being a finalist for the award.

That anger also had a local colour. Kenyan outlets and columnists framed the omissions as an affront not only to individual athletes but to a tradition — to Kenya’s modern identity as a distance powerhouse. Online commentators used words like “snub,” “scam,” and even questioned fairness and representation. Those are heavy words, and they point to something that’s as much cultural as it is statistical: awards don’t only hand out trophies, they write histories.

Global Voices Echo the Frustration

The outrage is not limited to Kenyan social media feeds. On X, LetsRun.com’s Jonathan Gault wrote bluntly:

“Athlete of Year over Melissa Jefferson-Wooden and Beatrice Chebet is legitimately insane.” X (formerly Twitter)

Meanwhile, Chris Chavez — founder of CITIUS Magazine — flagged the omission more neutrally but firmly: he reminded followers that Chebet and Kipyegon were among the nominees but did not make the final cut. X (formerly Twitter)

While neither made long commentary threads, their tone echoes the same concern: when the final shortlist bypasses athletes whose seasons were historically great, questions about the transparency and fairness of the process gain legitimacy.

What Does This Mean for Kenya & for World Athletics?

For Kenyan athletics, this is a moment of reflection more than protest. It is proof that performance on the track does not always translate into recognition if it does not align with how committees perceive value.

Athletics Kenya, fan groups, and media commentators may push for greater clarity in how finalists are selected — especially given that the public vote component (via social media) appeared to favour Kenyan athletes more strongly than the final result.

It’s not just about Kipyegon or Chebet personally. It is about what “global recognition” means for a distance-running powerhouse whose champions have often carried Kenya’s identity on the world stage.

If Kenya hopes to see more of its athletes consistently featured in global award finals, then its voice must adapt — not just through podiums and records, but through engagement with the narratives and systems that award bodies use.

How finalists are chosen — and why outrage makes sense

World Athletics doesn’t simply put the loudest social posts on stage. Their published method splits voting among the World Athletics Council (50%), the World Athletics Family (25%), and social media votes (25%) to create the first-round finalists. After that, fans on WorldAthletics+ help determine the final overall athlete. That weighting matters: it explains how an athlete extremely popular with fans could still be left out if the Council and family votes skew elsewhere.

Fresh off a record-breaking run in Sydney, Dutch star Sifan Hassan stands on the brink of yet another monumental test — her debut at the New York City Marathon, taking place today (Sunday) at 3:35 p.m. Kenyan time.

The reigning Olympic marathon champion has been one of the sport’s most fascinating figures, blending brilliance with humility and raw honesty. As she prepares to tackle the world’s most iconic 42km course, Hassan has opened up about her mindset, her fears, and her respect for the formidable field awaiting her in New York.

“I’m excited, but also nervous,” Hassan admitted in an interview with Dutch broadcaster NOS. “The field is full of very strong women — especially the Kenyans. I’m afraid of them, to be honest. Sharon Lokedi, Hellen Obiri, Sheila Chepkirui — they all know this course, they’re used to racing here. For me, it’s my first time. It’s going to be hard.”

Her words may sound modest, but her record speaks of dominance. Since making her marathon debut in London 2023, Hassan has run six races over the distance and won four. In Paris 2024, she stormed to Olympic gold in 2:22:25 — an Olympic record — adding to her collection of bronze medals in the 5,000m and 10,000m. Her latest performance in Sydney 2025 broke the Australian all-comers record with a time of 2:18:22, the fastest ever on the continent.

Calm Amid the Chaos

Despite her credentials, Hassan insists she is not burdened by expectation.
“I can win, but I’m not going to let that get to me,” the 32-year-old said. “I can’t just think about winning — there’s no point. I prefer to play it smart. Of course, I want to win, but I don’t need that extra pressure.”

This approach reflects a maturity that defines her journey from a refugee in the Netherlands to one of the most versatile runners in modern athletics. She has learned to thrive without the weight of perfection.

“The marathon is more than just the race itself; it’s all the preparation — the training, the recovery, the mental work,” she explained. “Every marathon is different. This course is new to me, and I respect it.”

Indeed, New York’s five-borough course is notoriously challenging — full of turns, bridges, and rolling hills that punish even the most seasoned runners. “They say it’s the best,” she smiled, “but I hope it’s not the toughest.”

Fear of the Kenyans

Her candid admission of “being afraid” of her Kenyan rivals has drawn attention, not because it signals weakness, but because it captures the psychological reality of elite sport.

In the women’s field, the last three New York champions are all Kenyan: Sharon Lokedi (2022), Hellen Obiri (2023), and Sheila Chepkirui (2024). Each brings experience, grit, and tactical knowledge of the course that Hassan lacks.

“They’re strong, mentally and physically,” Hassan said. “When you see them run, they don’t give up. You have to fight every second with them. I respect that — it pushes me to be better.”

Hassan’s comments reflect a healthy tension between admiration and competition. It’s the same energy that has often driven her to her best performances.

Skipping Worlds for Sydney — and Success

While most of her rivals spent August competing at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, Hassan made a bold decision to skip the event and focus entirely on Sydney. Critics questioned her choice, but the result silenced any doubts — she delivered a masterclass, breaking the Australian record and dominating the field.

It was a gamble rooted in self-awareness. “I knew what my body needed,” she said. “Sometimes you have to choose your battles.”

“I feel like I hate myself or something. When I was practicing, it really freaking hurt!” she added.  You may hate yourself for running two World Majors in 64 days.

Now, after Sydney’s triumph, Hassan says she feels fresh and mentally clear for New York — even if the course remains a mystery.

Speaking Out on Doping and Ruth Chepng’etich’s Ban

Away from racing, Hassan also addressed the recent doping ban of Kenyan marathoner Ruth Chepng’etich, who is serving a three-year suspension after testing positive for Hydrochlorothiazide, a prohibited diuretic.

“It’s really sad,” Hassan said in an interview with LetsRun.com. “It’s hard for me to say anything about other athletes. I don’t know what to say — it’s just very hard. I believe that’s for WADA to handle.”

Hassan revealed that she only learned about the ban recently, having deliberately stayed off media to concentrate on her training terming the race “very hard with strong female racers”.

The Dutch star used the moment to reflect on the wider problem of doping in athletics. “Many athletes make mistakes because they don’t have enough education,” she said. “You can run fast for a while, but you can also destroy your life. Once you start using substances, your body becomes dependent. It’s dangerous. Some retire early; some face health problems. It’s really sad.”

She added that athletes should be taught the consequences early in their careers. “They should learn how dangerous it is. You might win now, but you won’t last long. It’s better to work harder, and you’ll have a career of ten years or more. That’s what I want to teach the young generation.”

The Marathon of Mind and Spirit

For Hassan, the marathon remains a mirror of life — unpredictable, punishing, but profoundly rewarding.

“I always say, you never know what’s going to happen,” she said. “You can prepare for months, but on race day, anything can change. That’s what makes it beautiful — it’s not just about running; it’s about surviving.”

Today in New York, she faces not only the course and her competitors but her own doubts — and perhaps that’s where her strength lies.

Her honesty, humility, and resilience make her one of the most relatable figures in modern sport. Whether she wins or not, Hassan’s story continues to embody the spirit of running: courage, perseverance, and the relentless pursuit of better.

And as the clock ticks toward the 3:35 p.m. start in Kenya, all eyes will be on the streets of New York — where Sifan Hassan will once again test the limits of her body and the power of her belief.

When Eliud Kipchoge steps onto the starting line of the 2025 New York City Marathon, the world will pause to watch a legend in motion — perhaps for the last time.

At 40 years old, turning 41 next week the Kenyan great has hinted that this could be his final elite marathon, marking the end of a glittering 13-year career on the roads that includes 16 wins from 23 competitive marathons. For context, 11 of those wins have been at marathon majors, making him the most decorated athlete-male or female in the history of marathon majors.

“November, and it’s New York…It’s a place that has been on my mind for a long time,” Kipchoge told Olympics.com. “It’s time for me to go there and get a Seven Star before embarking on my new journey of running for other things—running for a purpose.”

The Seven Star Hall of Fame honors the runners who have completed the marked World Marathon Majors – Tokyo, Boston, London, Sydney, Berlin, Chicago, and New York City.

Kipchoge’s most successful Major destination to date is Berlin, which he has won five times, including two world record times.

But the thrill of new adventures doesn’t end there for the Kenyan, one of only three men to have won two consecutive Olympic marathons besides Ethiopia’s Abebe Bikila (1960 and 1964) and East Germany’s Waldemar Cierpinski (1976 and 1980), who revealed his plans to take on new continents in the future.

“I will run in Antarctica!” he answered assuredly. “I now want to do that extreme thing that can make someone work hard…”

For Kipchoge, who has conquered every challenge from Berlin’s flat speedways to London’s tactical tests, the New York race represents both a farewell and a full circle. It is the only World Marathon Major he has never run — and one that completes his Seven Star dream.

Beyond New York, Kipchoge a 2:01:09 marathoner (his PB), set at the 2022 Berlin Marathon will not stop as he has more in store for the future: “I will run even 50km in Saudi Arabia.”

Kipchoge last competed at the Sydney Marathon in August, finishing ninth with his last win being the Berlin Marathon where he cut the tape in a time of 2:02:42 two years ago- also his last podium.

A Career Etched in Gold

Kipchoge’s story is one of serene mastery and relentless discipline. From his breakout as a teenage world champion over 5,000m in 2003 to his domination of marathons in the past decade, his record is a catalogue of excellence.

He is a two-time Olympic champion (Rio 2016, Tokyo 2020), a four-time London Marathon winner, and multiple world records including his Berlin lifetime best of 2:01:09 that was later improved by countryman and the late Kelvin Kiptum with his 2:00:35 world record in Chicago in 2024.

And then there was Vienna — the INEOS 1:59 Challenge in 2019 — where he became the first man in history to run a marathon in under two hours. Though not an official world record, it remains a defining symbol of human possibility.

“No human is limited,” he said after that run — a phrase that became his mantra and a global movement of belief.

Kipchoge is content with his career, embracing both the highs and lows. But still has one big regret: “Missing the world record for 5000m”.

At Paris 2024, he failed to finish the Olympic race, and has focused this year on working through that failure and continuing to push his belief in limitless human potential.

Currently, the average marathoner is in their 20s, and there is a large pool of talented runners competing for top honors. But Kipchoge is unperturbed and continues to command respect in the Majors, which speaks volumes of his brilliance.

“To still push at my age is really good, I am showing people that age is just a number,” he said.

Why New York Matters

Unlike the smooth asphalt of Berlin or the open boulevards of Tokyo, New York offers grit: bridges, climbs, and roaring crowds that make it more a battle of will than pace.

For Kipchoge, that’s exactly why it matters.

“Every race has its own story,” he said. “New York is about people, energy, and finishing something bigger than myself.”

Trained by long-time coach Patrick Sang in Kaptagat, Kenya, with the NN Running Team, the father of three (Lynne, Griffin, and Gordon) may be 40 years old now, but he still possesses the same hunger. Nothing less than a top-three finish in his first attempt will do in the Big Apple.

“I’m really ready to run well. I will be trying to be on the podium, [for me] it’s like any other serious, normal race,” he said. “I will fight to run in a good way on the streets of New York. It’s not about just participating, it’s about competition.”

In New York, Kipchoge starts as the fastest man in a field that includes his long-term rival Kenenisa Bekele, as well as former champions Abdi Nageeye and Evans Chebet.

Kipchoge wants to “complete his marathon legacy” before stepping back from elite competition.

A Farewell Worth Watching

When he takes off from Staten Island on that crisp Sunday morning, Kipchoge won’t just be running for victory. He’ll be running for legacy — for every Kenyan who has laced up a shoe because of his story, and for every dreamer who believes limits can be broken.

Whether he wins or simply finishes, New York will be his victory lap — a celebration of endurance, grace, and humanity.

And when he crosses that finish line in Central Park, one era of marathon running will quietly bow out — leaving footprints too deep for time to erase.

Patrick Sang, the renowned coach behind running greats Faith Kipyegon and Eliud Kipchoge, has opened up about the Breaking4 project — an ambitious attempt to push the limits of human performance and athletic endurance.

In June, Kipyegon set out to become the first woman ever to run a sub-four-minute mile, a barrier long seen as impossible. Already the world record holder with 4:07.64 set in 2023, Kipyegon’s target demanded an extraordinary improvement of more than seven seconds.

Backed by Nike, the attempt featured elite pacemakers, cutting-edge aerodynamics, and custom racing spikes designed to maximize speed. The event took place at the Stade Sébastien Charléty in Paris on 26 June this year.

Kipyegon gave a valiant effort, clocking 4:06.42 — lowering her own world record by over a second but narrowly missing the elusive four-minute mark.

Sang: ‘I Was a Bit Worried for Faith’

Speaking to Citius Mag, Patrick Sang reflected on the project’s successes and shortcomings. He drew parallels between Kipyegon and Kipchoge, noting that both share the same discipline, humility, and deep sense of purpose that has defined their careers.

“Faith and Eliud mirror each other in many ways,” Sang said. “They both value the people around them and draw strength from those who support them.”

Despite minor challenges, Sang described the Breaking4 experience as largely smooth and well-executed. “Not everything was within our control,” he admitted. “But the process flowed naturally from the careful preparation that had gone into it.”

He praised the unity and collective effort behind the project, saying it demonstrated how collaboration can expand human imagination. “It allowed people to think beyond limits — that the human mind and possibilities are elastic,” he said.

Concerns After Paris

Still, Sang acknowledged that something about the Paris race left him uneasy. He sensed that Kipyegon’s body language after the race revealed emotional fatigue. Though he had not spoken to her immediately, he could tell the experience had affected her.

“I was a bit worried for Faith in Paris,” Sang admitted. “You could see from her facial expression that something could have been better. Maybe it was the timing, the preparation, or the setup — I don’t know.”

Technically, Sang insisted, everything was done correctly. His concern was psychological — how Kipyegon would interpret the experience: as failure or fuel.

Fortunately, her response in the weeks that followed put his worries to rest. Just days later, Kipyegon delivered a stunning world record in Eugene, Oregon, reaffirming her mental strength and technical mastery.

“That performance reassured me,” Sang said. “It showed that everything we did for Breaking4 wasn’t in vain. It gave her momentum again.”

A Season of Redemption

Kipyegon’s rebound was remarkable. She went on to defend her 1500m world title at the 2025 World Championships in Tokyo and later captured silver in the 5000m, finishing behind close friend Beatrice Chebet.

For Kipyegon, the sub-four dream remains alive. “I have proven that it is possible — it’s only a matter of time,” she said after the race. “If it’s not me, it will be somebody else. I won’t lose hope. I’ll keep trying until I get it one day.”

Inspiration Beyond Records

Beyond records and medals, Kipyegon hopes her pursuit inspires young girls and her daughter to believe in possibility.

“I will tell them we are not limited,” she said. “We can limit ourselves with our thoughts, but it’s possible to try everything and prove to the world that we are strong. Keep pushing.”