Athletics has been marked this year by numerous exploits at the World Championships, Diamond League meetings and various marathons with some fine winners…Yet other facts highlighting the beauty of sport through fair play have fascinated athletics fans, who have therefore chosen with the International Fair Play Committee and World Athletics a shortlist of the most outstanding moments. 2 Africans are in the running to win the 2023 Fair Play Athlete award.
Daniel Eboyo and Letesenbet Gidey embody sportsmanship
Several moments were chosen for this year’s International Fair Play Award on the basis of fan voting. Members of the International Fair Play Committee (CIFP) and World Athletics then formed a jury to decide on the shortlist of 6 moments. 2 Africans Daniel Enboyo and Letesenbet Gidey are in the running for the award. In fact, one of the events that most impressed fans was the one involving 2 Kenyans: Daniel Enboyo, the main character involved, and Sebastian Sawe. It took place during the final stages of the men’s half-marathon at the World Road Athletics Championships in Riga 23. Kenya’s Daniel Ebenyo waved to team-mate Sebastian Sawe as the latter overtook him to win gold.
The second moment with an African protagonist was the one featuring Ethiopian athlete Letesenbet Gidey. After taking silver in the women’s 10,000 m at the World Athletics Championships in Budapest 23, she came back to comfort Dutchwoman Sifan Hassan after her dramatic fall in the home straight.
Sifan Hassan
After her aforementioned fall while leading the 10,000 m final at the Budapest 23 World Athletics Championships, Dutchwoman Sifan Hassan went down to defeat, taking silver in the 5,000 m and bronze in the 1,500 m.
Shericka Jackson and Sha’Carri Richardson
After their respective gold and bronze medals in the women’s 200 m final, Jamaican Shericka Jackson and American Sha’Carri Richardson spontaneously embraced at the Budapest 23 World Athletics Championships.
Nina Kennedy and Katie Moon
In the midst of a battle, Australia’s Nina Kennedy and USA’s Katie Moon decided to share gold in the pole vault at the World Athletics Championships in Budapest 23 after their attempts at 4.95 m still couldn’t separate them.
Jessica Warner-Judd
After finishing eighth in the 10,000 m final at the World Athletics Championships in Budapest 23, Britain’s Jessica Warner-Judd was the only athlete to wait and shake hands with the last runner to finish the event some distance from the rest of the team.
Voting continues…3 finalists to be announced on November 7
Following the International Fair Play Committee’s (IFPC) and World Athletics’ narrow selection of the fairest moments of the athletics season, fans can now vote via World Athletics’ social media platforms for the moment they feel best exemplifies fair play.
These votes will be combined with those of the jury to determine three finalists for the Fair Play Award. The finalists will be announced on November 7.
The winner will be revealed on World Athletics platforms in the run-up to the World Athletics Awards in Monaco on December 11.
International Fair Play Award nominee ✨
Repost to vote for Daniel Ebenyo 🇰🇪 saluting his teammate Sebastian Sawe as he was overtaken in the final stages of the half marathon at the @WARiga23 #WorldRunningChamps
Voting closes at midnight CET on Sunday 5 November.… pic.twitter.com/200jzgo1if
— World Athletics (@WorldAthletics) October 30, 2023
Jury members
Dame Valerie Adams (NZL) President of the World Athletics Athletes’ Commission, Ximena Restrepo (COL) Senior Vice President, World Athletics, Jon Ridgeon (GBR) CEO, World Athletics, David Rudisha (KEN) multiple Olympic and world 800 m champion Sunil Sabharwal (USA) CIFP Secretary Member of the General Executive Committee and World Athletics. Gianmarco Tamberi (ITA) Olympic and world high jump champion. Nan Wang (CHN) World Athletics Board Member
