The Nigerian Tobi Amusan and the Moroccan Soufiane El Bakkali have been designated best African athletes of the year by the Confederation of African Athletics.
There were no surprises. As usual, the Confederation of African Athletics announced the winners in its categories, which reward the best athletes of the year 2022. The world champion in the 100m hurdles and world record holder Tobi Amusan was named best female athlete. She is ahead of the 1500m world champion Faith Kipyegon (Kenya) and the 10,000m world champion Letesenbet Gidey (Ethiopia).
A logical reward for the one who set the bar in the 100m hurdles at 12s12, but also retained her Diamond League crown and won two gold medals in her favourite distance at the Commonwealth Games and the African Championships. Tobi Amusan also finished in 2nd place for the World Athletics Female Athlete of the Year award, behind American Sydney Mclaughlin.
In the men's table, the world champion of the 3000m steeplechase Soufiane El Bakkali won the award ahead of the Kenyans Eliud Kipchoge (world record holder in the marathon) and Emmanuel Korir (world champion in the 800m). A reward there too without real possible dispute as El Bakkali has been stratospheric throughout the season. The Moroccan was undefeated. He won gold at the World Championships in Eugene in the 3000m steeplechase and won the Diamond League.
In the youth categories, U20 world champions Faith Cherotich of Kenya (3000m steeplechase) and Botswana's Letsile Tebogo (100m) have been named the top prospects. Tebogo's coach, Kebonemodisa Dose Mosimanyane is the best coach of the year and Khemraj Naiko of Mauritius is the best technical official.
The full list of awards from the Confederation of African Athletics
Best female athletes
1- TOBI AMUSAN NGR 100m Hurdles 12.12 WR - Commonwealth Winner - Final Winner DL - World Champion 2022
2- Faith KIPYEGON KEN 1500 m 3:50.37 PB - 2nd best performance of all time -World Champion 2022
3- Letesenbeth GIDEY ETH 10.000 m 30:09.94 WL -World best performance -World Champion 2022
4- Goytom GEBRESLASE ETH Marathon 2.18:11-World record -World champion 2022
5- Gudaf TSEGAY ETH 5.000 m 14:26.69 SB -World Champion 2022
Best male athletes
1- Soufiane EL BAKKALI MAR 3000 m SC 7:58.28 -World best performance-World Final DL winner -World Champion 2022 -No losses during the season
2- Eliud KIPCHOGE KEN Marathon 2.01:09 -World record pending
3- Emmanuel KORIR KEN 800m 1:43.26 SB -World Champion 2022
4- Joshua CHEPTEGEI UGA 10.000 m 27:27.43 PB- World Champion 2022
5- Tamarit TOLA ETH Marathon 2.05:36-World Champion 2022
Best women hopefuls
1- Faith CHEROTICH KEN 3000 m SC 9:16.14 - 3rd Final DL- World Champion U20 Cali 22
2- Mine DE CLERCK RSA Shot put - Discus 17m07 -3rd Discus World Championship U20 Cali 22 -World Champion Shot Put U20 Cali 22
3- Birke HAYLOM ETH 1500 m 4:04.27 CR -Record of U20 World Championships -World Champion U20 Cali 22
4- Jacqueline CHEPKOECH KEN 3000 m SC 9 :02.43 -Winner of the Commonwealth Games -Winner of DL Brussels 22
Best hopefuls men
1- Letsile TEBOGO BOT 100m 200 m 9.91 19.96 -World champion U20 Cali 22 -World record U20 in 100 -World championship record U20 in 200 m
2- Emmanuel WANYONYI KEN 800 m 1:44.54 - 4th at the World Championships Eugene - Winner of the DL of Rabat
3- Lythe PILLAY RSA 400 m 45.28 PB -World champion U20 Cali 22
4- Benjamin RICHARDSON RSA 100 m 200 m 10.12 20.55 -Bronze of the 100m at the World Championships U20 Cali 22
Best technical official
1- Khemraj NAIKO MRI Khemraj was one of the main actors of the success of the African championships in Mauritius and showed a lot of skills and mastery in the refereeing side of the championships.
Best coaches
1- Kebonemodisa Dose Mosimanyane - Botswana (Coach of Letsile Tebogo)
2- Patrick Kiprop Sang - Kenya (Coach of Faith Kipyegon)
3- Paul N. Ereng - Kenya (Coach of Emmanuel Korir)
