This year’s World Athlete of the Year awards in Monaco saw Letsile Tebogo and Sifan Hassan secure top prizes.
Tebogo became the Botswana’s first Olympic champion at this year’s Games in Paris, bettering his own record in the men’s 200 metres.
The 21 year-old voiced his thanks as he was named male world athlete of the year, saying, “it feels amazing. It feels good to know that what you have been putting in throughout the year is now giving you some of the fruits that you have been waiting for.”
Hassan also expressed her gratitude for her award. “Thanks to the fans and everybody who voted. I never thought I’m going to win this one because it was like this year, crazy. It’s not only me. All the athletes are amazing,” she said.
It comes after Hassan clinched her first global marathon title at the Paris Olympics. She won the London marathon the previous year.
A moment’s silence was held in memory of Kelvin Kiptum, who was commended at last year’s ceremony. Kiptum died in a road accident earlier this year.
