Neeraj Chopra has secured a position amongst the 5 finalists shortlisted for the 2023 men’s World Athlete of the Year award. He was among the 11 athletes vying for this prestigious accolade presented by the global governing body for track and field events. Demonstrating an outstanding performance, Neeraj clinched the gold medal at the World Championships, marking a historic achievement, and also secured the gold medal at the Asian Games.
His remarkable year continued with a second-place finish in the Diamond League final, following his participation in two Diamond League meetings in Doha and Lausanne. As the gold medalist in the Tokyo Olympics, Neeraj Chopra’s achievements highlight another exceptional year at the pinnacle of athletics.
Neeraj Chopra is set to contend for the Athlete of the Year alongside Noah Lyles, the world champion in both the 100m and 200m events, Mondo Duplantis, a standout in pole vault, Ryan Crouser, a prominent shot putter, and Kelvin Kiptum, the accomplished Kenyan marathoner.
FINALISTS (Athlete of the Year)
Neeraj Chopra, IND, javelin
· World champion
· Asian Games champion
Ryan Crouser, USA, shot put
· World champion
· World record
Mondo Duplantis, SWE, pole vault
· World champion
· Diamond League champion with world record
Kelvin Kiptum, KEN, marathon
· London and Chicago Marathon winner
· Marathon world record breaker
Noah Lyles, USA, 100m/200m
· World 100m and 200m champion
· World leader and undefeated in six finals at 200m
The selection of the final 5 candidates for the Athlete of the Year was concluded through a voting procedure involving 11 individuals from the initial award longlist. Unfortunately, Soufiane El Bakkali, known for steeplechase, middle-distance runner Jakob Ingebrigtsen, decathlon standout Pierce LePage, race walker Alvaro Martin, long jumper Miltiadis Tentoglou, and 400m hurdles champion Karsten Warholm did not advance to the finals.
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