Former World Under 20 gold champion Emmanuel Wanyonyi has been nominated as a Rising Star by the World Athletics.
World Athletics has acknowledged the the world 800m silver medalist competed at the Diamond League champion and winner in Rabat, Paris and Xiamen World cross country mixed relay champion.
“The nominations reflect some of the standout performances that the sport has witnessed this year, at the World Athletics Championships Budapest 23, World Athletics Cross Country Championships Bathurst 23, one-day meeting circuits and other events around the world.”
Wanyonyi, boasts of a personal best of 1:43:27 he clocked 1:44:53 and finished behind Marco Arop of Canada silver in Budapest.
In February, the young athlete commenced the year with a gold medal victory in mixed relays at the 2023 World Cross-Country Championships held in Bathurst, Australia. In May, he successfully defended his Kip Keino Classic title in Nairobi.
The middle-distance runner also ran a new Championship Record of 1:43.76, cruising to victory in the men’s 800m at the World Athletics Under-20 Championships in 2021 at Moi Sports Centre Kasarani.
Back home, the 19-year-old is among the over 3.5milion Form Four candidates sitting for the Kenya National Examination Council (KCSE) examinations. He has undertaken the finals at Kosirai Secondary School in Nandi County.
The two others nominated under the same category are Jamaica’s Roshawn Clarke for World Championships 400m hurdles fourth place, equalled and then broke the world U20 record with 47.85 in Kingston and 47.34 in Budapest and Jamaican champion and CARIFTA Games U20 champion.
Erriyon Knighton from the USA for World Championships 200m silver medallist, US champion and Winner of Diamond League races in Florence and Oslo.
An international panel of experts will select the 2023 Men’s Rising Star Award winner, and the announcement will be made on World Athletics’ platforms on December 11th.