Jamaican sprinter Shericka Jackson has been named among the five finalists for the prestigious Women’s World Athlete of the Year award, World Athletics has announced.
The five athletes, who represent five countries from four area associations, have achieved sensational performances across a range of athletics disciplines in 2023, winning titles and breaking world records at the World Athletics Championships Budapest 23, one-day meeting circuits, Label road races, and other events around the world.
Jackson is the only finalist from North America. The other four finalists are:
Tigist Assefa, ETH, marathon
· Berlin marathon winner
· World marathon record
Femke Bol, NED, 400m/400m hurdles
· World 400m hurdles champion
· World indoor 400m record
Faith Kipyegon, KEN, 1500m/mile/5000m
· World 1500m and 5000m champion
· World records at 1500m, mile and 5000m
Yulimar Rojas, VEN, triple jump
· World champion
· Diamond league champion
Voting procedure for World Athletics Awards
A three-way voting process determined the finalists.
The World Athletics Council and other stakeholders cast their votes by email, while fans logged their decisions online via the World Athletics social media platforms where a record 2 million votes were registered.
Voting closed on 28 October.
The World Athletes of the Year will be announced on World Athletics’ platforms on 11 December, as part of the World Athletics Awards 2023.
An impressive 2023 for Jackson
Shericka Jackson, the second fastest woman of all time in the 200 meters, closed out an impressive 2023 season in September with the gold double at the Diamond League: 10.70 in the 100 meters and 21.57 in the 200 meters — a new meet record.
Just a month before at the World Athletics Championship in Budapest, Jackson set a national record in the 200 meters with 21.41, just nearly missing the world record of 21.34 set by American Florence Griffith-Joyner. In July, she set a personal best and new world-leading time in the 100 meters with 10.65 at the National Stadium in Kingston.
Shericka Jackson is currently the only athlete in World Championship history to win medals in the 100, 200 and 400 meters (and by extension, the 4×100 and 4×400 meters relays). She is also the second athlete in history, behind Marita Koch to win medals in the 100, 200, 400, 4×100, and 4×400 meters at the World Championships and/or the Olympic Games.
