The Confederation of African Athletics (CAA) has elected the best athletes and officials of the year 2023.
BEST AFRICAN FEMALE ATHLETES
- FAITH KIPYEGON: KENYA 1500 m, Mile, 5000 m
Double World champion of 1500 m and 5000 m
World Record of 1500-Mile and 5000 m
During the Diamond League meeting in Florence, for her second track race of the season, KIPYEGON broke the 1500m world record in 3:49.11. In Paris, a week later, during the third 5000m race of her career, KIPYEGON broke the world record for this distance. A month later, at the Diamond League meeting in Monaco, she broke the mile world record by five seconds, in 4:07.64. She performed a double at the 2023 Budapest World Championships by winning the 1500m and 5000m. She also won the shortest event of the Diamond League Finals (1500m), clocking 3:50.72 - the fifth fastest time ever.
- TIGIST ASSEFA, ETHIOPIA Marathon
Marathon world record holder.
She continued to accelerate in the final stages and crossed the finish line in 2:11:53, improving the world record by more than two minutes – the biggest improvement in the women's marathon world record in 40 years. That was in Berlin 24th September 2023
- GUDAF TSEGAY, ETHIOPIA 5000 m and 10 000 m
10 000m world champion
World record holder 5000 m
She won the 1500m in Rabat, the 5000m in London and the 10000m at the Ethiopian selections.
In the spectacular 10 000m final in Budapest, TSEGAY prevailed in the final meters to win gold.
After a few weeks of rest caused by injury, she bounced back in style at the Diamond League Finals in Eugene, breaking Faith Kipyegon's world record set a few weeks earlier with a superb time of 14:00.21.
BEST AFRICAN MALE ATHLETES
1-KELVIN KIPTUM, KENYA MARATHON
Winner in Berlin
World Record
KIPTUM became the first athlete to break the time of 2:01 in a record-eligible marathon, with a time of 2:00:35 that is 34 seconds less than the world record set by his compatriot Eliud Kipchoge in Berlin last year.
2-SOUFIANE EL BAKKALI, MOROCCO: 3000 m SC
World Champion 2023
SOUFIANE EL BAKKALI, maintained his impressive consistency through 2023, remaining undefeated in five steeplechase finals and improving his personal best to 7:56.68.
3-HUGUES FABRICE ZANGO, BURKINA FASO TRIPLE JUMP
Triple jump World Champion 2023
HUGUES FABRICE ZANGO gave his country its first world champion title after giving it its first Olympic medal a year earlier.
BEST RISING AFRICAN FEMALE ATHLETE: FAITH CHEROTICH (U20), KENYA: 3000 m SC
Ranked 3rd at the World Championships in Budapest 2023, being a U20 athlete. Number 2 on the all-time world U20 list
BEST RISING AFRICAN MALE ATHLETE: EMMANUEL WANYONI (U20), KENYA: 800 m
Silver medalist at the Budapest 2023 World Championships being a U20. Champion and winner of the Diamond League in Rabat, Paris and Xiamen. World cross-country mixed relay champion with the Team Kenya in Bathurst 2023.
BEST AFRICAN COACH: PATRICK SANG KENYA
Coach Patrick Sang is a Kenyan running coach and retired steeplechase runner. He won three silver medals in major 3000 m steeplechase competitions :1991 World Championships, 1992 Barcelona Summer Olympics,1993 World Championships in Athletics.
Sang is the coach of Eliud Kipchoge, the 2016 and 2020 Olympic marathon who also became the first man to run the marathon distance in under 2 hours, He is here awarded as Faith Kipyegon, double Olympic and world 1500 m champion.
BEST TECHNICAL OFFICIAL: Peter De JAGUER, RSA
Member of the CAA ITOs’ panel and was appointed as Chief ITO at the CAA 2ndAfrican combined U18 - U20 championships in NDOLA (Zambia). As usual, he did a remarkable job contributing to the success of the championships.
BEST AFRICAN RISING COACH: JANETH JEPKOSGEI KENYA
Born December 13, 1983, her specialty was the 800 and 1500m. She made her international breakthrough in 2007 wining the silver medal in the 800m at the World Championships in Osaka. She also comeback from the 2008 Beijing Olympics with silver in the 800m. After retiring, Janeth transitioned into coaching, mentoring and coaching over 80 juniors from primary and high schools. She is also in-charge of the United Nation Refugee athletic program based in Kenya.
Among the top athletes she currently coach are: Nelly Chepchirchir – an upcoming 1500m runner qualified for Budapest, Josphat Kipkurui a junior who won both 1500m and 3000m in the Commonwealth Youth Games, and of course: Emmanuel Wanyonyi - 800 Silver Medalist World Champion.
