Revamped format for 2026 includes fan-voted Moment of the Year honour
 A new-look voting system for the World Athletics Awards has been unveiled ahead of the 2026 awards ceremony in Monaco on 29 November.
The World Athletics Awards will continue to centre around the prestigious World Athlete of the Year honours &ndash; awarded to one man and one woman &ndash; while the revised format will also include the introduction of the fan-voted Moment of the Year award.
The World Athlete of the Year honours will no longer include separate event group awards for track, field and out-of-stadium events. Instead, a total of 10 athletes will be nominated for each of the World Athlete of the Year awards, before a vote determines the three finalists and the winner in each of the women&rsquo;s and men&rsquo;s categories.
An eight-strong panel of statisticians &ndash; two members from World Athletics and one from each of the six area associations &ndash; will select the 10 nominees, and a four-way vote will then determine their final ranking, from first to 10th.
Each of the four voting groups will contribute 25% of the final vote:
&bull; World Athletics+ subscribers​
&bull; Athletes who have competed at World Athletics Series events during 2026​
&bull; Members of the media including TV and radio commentators, written press journalists and content creators who have been accredited at World Athletics Series events in 2026
&bull; World Athletics Family including the World Athletics President; Council members; commission members; athlete representatives; World Athletics Series event local organising committee chairs; Diamond League, World Indoor Tour Gold and Continental Tour Gold meeting directors; member federation presidents; official partners; and World Athletics staff​
The six finalists &ndash; three for the women&rsquo;s World Athlete of the Year award and three for the men&rsquo;s &ndash; will be invited to Monaco for the World Athletics Awards on 29 November, when each winner will be announced live on stage.
Other awards presented on stage will include the men&rsquo;s and women&rsquo;s Rising Star honours, Coach of the Year, the President&rsquo;s Award and the new Moment of the Year award.
Voted for entirely by fans via World Athletics social media channels, the Moment of the Year award has been introduced to celebrate the most memorable occasion of the season &ndash; one that may transcend a single performance and generate emotion and inspiration among fans and spectators around the world.
World Athletics

Revamped format for 2026 includes fan-voted Moment of the Year honour

New voting system unveiled for World Athletics Awards

The International Fair Play Committee (CIFP), in partnership with World Athletics, is again inviting fans across the world to nominate moments that epitomise fair play with a view to recognising one standout athlete or moment at the World Athletics Awards later this year.
Launching ahead of the World Athletics Indoor Championships Kujawy Pomorze 26 taking place from 20-22 March, the nominations period includes all World Athletics Series events and the Ultimate Championship as well as Wanda Diamond League and World Athletics Continental Tour meetings throughout 2026.
A jury has been empanelled to review the nominations and select the three finalists.
<h3>Jury members</h3>
Valerie Adams &ndash; World Athletics Athletes&rsquo; Commission Chair Sally Pearson &ndash; Olympic and world 100m hurdles gold medallist Paula Radcliffe &ndash; former world marathon record-holder Jon Ridgeon &ndash; World Athletics CEO Sunil Sabharwal &ndash; International Fair Play Committee President Tim Van de Velde &ndash; 2025 Fair Play Award winner
Fans will then cast their votes through the World Athletics social media channels for the moment that they feel best exemplifies fair play. These votes will be combined with the votes from the jury to determine the winner of the Fair Play Award. The winner will be revealed at the World Athletics Awards later in the year.
To nominate an athlete or moment for the Fair Play Award, please email <a href="mailto:fairplayaward@worldathletics.org" target="_blank" rel="noopener">fairplayaward@worldathletics.org</a>.
Tim Van de Velde was the recipient of last year&rsquo;s award, following his selfless act to help another athlete during the 3000m steeplechase heats at the World Athletics Championships Tokyo 25. Carlos San Martin was injured during a fall earlier in their heat and, as they approached the finish line, Van de Velde decided to turn back to help San Martin to cross the finish line &ndash; fully aware that it might lead to his disqualification.
<h3>About CIFP</h3>
The International Fair Play Committee (CIFP) is an IOC-recognised organisation founded in 1963 by UNESCO and leading international sports governing bodies. For more than 60 years, the CIFP has served as the global guardian of sporting ethics, honouring those who prioritise integrity and the human spirit over victory at any cost. Through its prestigious World Fair Play Awards and global educational initiatives, the CIFP ensures that the fundamental values of sport &ndash; respect, friendship, and fair play &ndash; are preserved for future generations. CIFP&rsquo;s first collaboration with World Athletics dates back to the 2003 World Athletics Championships in Paris. Thirteen awards have been handed out since then. For more information, visit <a href="https://www.fairplayinternational.org" target="_blank" rel="noopener">www.fairplayinternational.org</a>.
World Athletics

The nominations period includes all World Athletics Series events and Continental Tour events throughout the course of the year

World Athletics and CIFP invite fans to nominate fair play moments for 2026

At just 18 years of age, world hammer bronze medallist Zhang Jiale has already announced herself as one of the most exciting talents in the sport.
That status was underlined recently when she was named the World Athletics Rising Star Award winner &ndash; recognition that reflects not only a remarkable season, but the promise of what may still lie ahead.
Born in Zibo, in China&rsquo;s Shandong province, Zhang&rsquo;s rise has been both rapid and historic. But hammer throwing was not always part of the plan.
&ldquo;Before I started in athletics, I didn&rsquo;t even know what the hammer throw was,&rdquo; she admits. &ldquo;Most people are familiar with shot put, discus, or javelin, but hammer throw is less well known.&rdquo;
Zhang&rsquo;s introduction to the event came through her first coach, who saw something in her physical attributes &ndash; and perhaps something more.
&ldquo;My first coach chose this event for me based on my physical traits, but also because he felt it was my destiny or my fate.&rdquo;
That sense of destiny has since deepened under the guidance of Ye Kuigang, the coach behind an extraordinary lineage of Chinese hammer throwers. Zhang is the latest in a select group of Asian women to surpass 77 metres, joining Wang Zheng, Zhao Jie, Zhang Wenxiu and Zhang Jie. All were coached by Ye; all have won global medals; and together they have amassed 14 podium finishes at senior World Championships and Olympic Games.
Ye, himself a former international hammer thrower, two-time National Games champion and 2000 Asian silver medallist, has also overseen an exceptional level of sustained excellence. Four of the top 15 performers on the women&rsquo;s hammer world all-time list have emerged from his stable, placing Zhang firmly within one of the most productive coaching legacies the event has known.
Zhang&rsquo;s own rise gathered momentum in 2024. She won the Asian U20 title near the start of the season, then went on to claim the world U20 crown later that year &ndash; performances that confirmed her status as the leading hammer thrower of her generation and marked the transition from junior standout to senior contender.
<div><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/6969181e3d3f3fd7bbadfc40.jpg" alt="Zhang Jiale at the World U20 Championships in Lima" />
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Zhang Jiale at the World U20 Championships in Lima (&copy; World Athletics <img style="width: 16px; vertical-align: middle; display: inline;" src="data:image/svg+xml;base64,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" alt="photographer icon" /> Oscar Munoz Badilla)
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Her dominance is illustrated clearly in the record books. Zhang owns the 10 longest throws ever achieved by an U20 athlete, a level of statistical separation that mirrors the way hammer legend Anita Wlodarczyk has come to define the senior event. Already, Zhang sits 15th on the senior world all-time list, an extraordinary position for a teenage athlete in a discipline that often favours older and more experienced throwers.
Zhang&rsquo;s ascent has been defined by composure as much as distance. When reflecting on her bronze medal at the World Athletics Championships Tokyo 25 &ndash; on her senior global debut &ndash; Zhang spoke candidly about managing nerves on the biggest stage.
&ldquo;I was a bit nervous in the qualifying round. It was my first time competing in front of so many passionate spectators,&rdquo; she said. &ldquo;But by the final, I&rsquo;d adjusted. I told myself, &lsquo;I&rsquo;ve already made the final. Anything more is a bonus.&rsquo; So I felt much more relaxed.&rdquo;
That mindset delivered a medal &ndash; and a benchmark moment in her young career.
&ldquo;I was very surprised! Getting a bronze at my first World Championships &ndash; what a high starting point,&rdquo; she said. &ldquo;But I don&rsquo;t want to put too much pressure on myself going forward. I just want to keep surpassing myself.&rdquo;
<div><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/6969187a3d3f3fd7bbadfc43.jpg" alt="Zhang Jiale at the World Athletics Championships Tokyo 25" />
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Zhang Jiale at the World Athletics Championships Tokyo 25 (&copy; World Athletics <img style="width: 16px; vertical-align: middle; display: inline;" src="data:image/svg+xml;base64,CiAgICA8c3ZnIHhtbG5zPSJodHRwOi8vd3d3LnczLm9yZy8yMDAwL3N2ZyIgd2lkdGg9IjE2IiBoZWlnaHQ9IjE2IiB2aWV3Qm94PSIwIDAgNDgwIDM2MCI+CiAgICAgIDxnIHRyYW5zZm9ybT0idHJhbnNsYXRlKDAsMzYwKSBzY2FsZSgwLjEsLTAuMSkiIGZpbGw9IiNCMkIyQjIiPgogICAgICAgIDxwYXRoIGQ9Ik0xOTA1IDMxODIgYy0xMjYgLTQ0IC0xODcgLTEwMCAtMjUzIC0yMzMgbC00NyAtOTQgLTM1MCAtNSBjLTMyNiAtNQogICAgICAgIC0zNTQgLTYgLTQwMSAtMjYgLTE0NyAtNjAgLTI0NiAtMTgwIC0yNzQgLTMzMSAtMTQgLTc2IC0xNCAtMTY1OSAwIC0xNzM0IDMxCiAgICAgICAgLTE2NyAxNzMgLTMxMyAzMzggLTM0OCAzNyAtOCA0NzYgLTExIDE0OTAgLTExIDE1NDMgMCAxNDgwIC0yIDE1ODggNTAgMTA0IDUxCiAgICAgICAgMjAwIDE4MSAyMjQgMzA1IDggNDMgMTAgMzAwIDggOTEwIGwtMyA4NTAgLTIzIDU2IGMtNDcgMTEyIC0xNDEgMjA2IC0yNTIgMjUyCiAgICAgICAgLTUyIDIxIC03MiAyMiAtNDA1IDI3IGwtMzUwIDUgLTQ2IDk1IGMtNTQgMTEyIC0xMDYgMTY2IC0yMDcgMjEzIGwtNjcgMzIKICAgICAgICAtNDYwIDIgYy00MTYgMyAtNDY1IDEgLTUxMCAtMTV6IG05NzIgLTIzNyBjMTggLTEzIDUyIC02OCA5MyAtMTUwIDQyIC04MyA3NQogICAgICAgIC0xMzcgOTMgLTE1MCAyNyAtMTkgNDcgLTIwIDQxNSAtMjUgNDM4IC02IDQyNyAtNCA0ODcgLTg5IGwzMCAtNDMgMyAtODM2IGMyCiAgICAgICAgLTYxMCAwIC04NDggLTggLTg3NiAtMTcgLTU2IC01NCAtMTAyIC0xMDQgLTEyNSAtNDIgLTIxIC01MSAtMjEgLTE0ODggLTIxCiAgICAgICAgbC0xNDQ1IDAgLTQ0IDIzIGMtMjkgMTYgLTU0IDQwIC03NCA3MiBsLTMwIDQ4IDAgODUxIGMwIDg0NCAwIDg1MSAyMSA4OTEgMTEKICAgICAgICAyMiA0MCA1NCA2MyA3MCBsNDMgMzAgMzg4IDUgYzM2OSA1IDM5MCA2IDQxNyAyNSAxOCAxMyA1MCA2NCA4OCAxNDEgMzMgNjcgNjcKICAgICAgICAxMjkgNzUgMTM5IDM2IDQzIDUzIDQ1IDUxMiA0MiA0MjIgLTIgNDM4IC0zIDQ2NSAtMjJ6Ii8+CiAgICAgICAgPHBhdGggZD0iTTIzMDAgMjQ1MSBjLTM4MiAtNTQgLTY3MSAtMzYzIC02OTcgLTc0NiAtMjEgLTMxOCAxNjEgLTYyNyA0NTIKICAgICAgICAtNzY2IDEyNiAtNjAgMTg5IC03NCAzNTAgLTc0IDExOSAwIDE1MSA0IDIxNSAyMyAyNzYgODcgNDgwIDI5NiA1NTYgNTcyIDI1CiAgICAgICAgOTAgMjYgMjk5IDEgMzkwIC03OCAyODggLTMwMCA1MDkgLTU4OSA1ODQgLTcxIDE4IC0yMTYgMjcgLTI4OCAxN3ogbTI3MCAtMjQ5CiAgICAgICAgYzE5NyAtNjggMzM0IC0yMTQgMzg1IC00MDcgNzQgLTI4NyAtMTA0IC01OTkgLTM5MCAtNjg0IC0xMDEgLTMwIC0yNjcgLTI3CiAgICAgICAgLTM2MCA3IC0xNzQgNjQgLTMyNyAyNDAgLTM2NCA0MjAgLTYyIDMwNSAxMzUgNjA4IDQzOSA2NzcgODIgMTkgMjE1IDEyIDI5MAogICAgICAgIC0xM3oiLz4KICAgICAgPC9nPgogICAgPC9zdmc+CiAgICA=" alt="photographer icon" /> Dan Vernon)
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At home, Zhang draws inspiration from those who came before her. Training alongside senior teammates such as Wang and Zhang Wenxiu has been formative.
&ldquo;Once I learned about our sport and how strong Chinese athletes are internationally, they became my role models,&rdquo; she said. &ldquo;When I joined my coach&rsquo;s team and trained with them, they taught me a lot. They&rsquo;ve always been my examples to learn from.&rdquo;
She now finds herself part of a compelling domestic rivalry with compatriot Zhao Jie, her training partner and fellow world medallist. While Zhao leads their career head-to-head 21-1, the gap has narrowed significantly this year. Just half a metre separated them at the World Championships, exactly one metre at the National Games &ndash; and in Schoenebeck in June, Zhang defeated Zhao outright.
It is a rivalry that signals both depth and momentum within Chinese women&rsquo;s hammer throwing.
Looking ahead, Zhang&rsquo;s ambitions extend beyond medals already won. Competing at the World Athletics Championships Beijing 27 is a particularly vivid target.
&ldquo;Competing at home means I&rsquo;ll have more support from our own people,&rdquo; she said. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s like being a kid on stage with your whole family in the audience applauding. And I love that kind of stage.&rdquo;
Ultimately, her goals are as bold as they are historic.
&ldquo;No Asian woman has ever thrown beyond 80 metres,&rdquo; she said. &ldquo;China also hasn&rsquo;t yet won a World Championships or Olympic gold in the women&rsquo;s hammer. I think these are the goals for our new generation.&rdquo;
With a Rising Star award already in hand and a world U20 record to her name, Zhang Jiale may be closer than anyone before her to turning those goals into reality.
Jon Mulkeen for World Athletics

At just 18 years of age, world hammer bronze medallist Zhang Jiale has already announced herself as one of the most exciting talents in the sport.

Press Release29 May 2026

New voting system unveiled for World Athletics Awards

New voting system unveiled for World Athletics Awards

World Athletics and CIFP invite fans to nominate fair play moments for 2026

Rising Star Zhang carries China’s hammer tradition into a new era