The Winner of the 2017 IAU Athlete of the Year

The Winner of the 2017 IAU Athlete of the Year. The Winners of the 2017 IAU Athlete of the Year have been announced. Patrycja Bereznowska (POL) and Yoshihiko Ishikawa (JPN) have been voted as the 2017 IAU Athlete of the Year. Both Winners received around 45% of all votes. Patrycja won convincingly. It was a bit closer in men votes but still very strong position of Yoshihiko. The runners up in women standing are Camille Herron (USA) and Adeline Roche (FRA) and in men Luis Alberto Hernando (ESP) and Sebastian Białobrzeski (POL).


Patrycja Bereznowska (POL) is among the best runners in the world for the several years now. However her performances in 2017 were outstanding. She began her journey in April when she won Polish 24H Championship when she did 256.246 km (159.22 miles). In July she became the IAU 24H World Champion and for the second time this year she improve her personal best and set new WBPs with 259.991 km (161.55 miles). She became first women ever run more than 160 miles in 24H race.

Photo: Aneta Mikulska (from left: Katalin Nagy, Patrycja Bereznowska, Aleksandra Niwińska)


Yoshihiko Ishikawa (JPN
) had fantastic 2017 year by winning in July the IAU 24H World Championship being only men who run over 270 km. It was 270.870 km (168.31 miles). In November he won again 24h race. This time it was prestigious 17th Soochow/Taipei 24h Ultramarathon with 266.938 km (165.87 miles).

Photo: Aneta Mikulska (from left: Sebastian Białobrzeski, Yoshihiko Ishikawa, Johan Steene)


Percentages of votes were as follows:

Women

1. Patrycja Bereznowska (POL) 45.4%. 2. Camille Herron (USA) 16.7%

3. Adeline Roche (FRA) 14.8%


Men

1. Yoshihiko Ishikawa (JPN) 42.1%. 2. Luis Alberto Hernando (ESP) 29.2%

3. Sebastian Białobrzeski (POL) 12.5%


Congratulation to all runners
Jacek Bedkowski
Chair of IAU Communication Committee