World Athletics Awards: Wanyonyi, Sawe, and Serem crowned best athletes in 2025

800m World champion Emmanuel Wanyonyi, Abbott World Marathon Major winner Sebastian Sawe, and 3000msc World bronze medalist Edmund Serem were named the best athletes during the 2025 World Athletics Awards Gala held on Sunday night in Monaco, France.

Wanyonyi beat American Noah Lyles to win the best male track athlete of the year award after winning the World Championship title in a new championship record of 1:41.86 in Tokyo, Japan.

The Olympic champion also bagged the Diamond League title in 800m and recorded four of the top six performances of the year over the same distance.

Sebastian Sawe was the 2nd Kenyan to be crowned the best male stadium athlete of the year.

Sawe was recognised for winning both the London and Berlin Marathons, which made him the World Major Marathon winner for the 1st time.

He also recorded the top two marathon performances of 2025.

Sawe beat Tanzanian and World champion Alphonce Felix Simbu to the gong.

At only 17, Serem was recognised for his efforts with the male rising star of the year award after a stellar performance that saw him win bronze in the Tokyo World Athletics Championships, his first senior career global medal, and finish 2nd in the Diamond League season in 3000m SC.

World Champions Mondo Duplantis of Sweden and Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone of the USA were named the best athletes of the year for men and women, respectively.

AK President Rtd also attended the colourful Gala—Gen. Jackson Tuwei, who doubles up as the Confederation of African Athletics vice president.