2023 was another busy year, especially second half. We had four championships, most of them in second half of 2023. Year by year we are continuing with our legacy and presenting you with the list of automatic nomination and at the same time presenting you with all steps for the 2023 IAU Athletes of the Year Award. There are 25 automatic nomination, 13 women and 12 men. This mean we are opening the nomination window so you can submit the nomination for the award. There are still 5 spots to make the final nomination list. All details are provided below.
List of automatic nomination
Women (alphabetic order):
- Patrycja Bereznowska (POL) - 3rd place at 2023 IAU 24H World Championships, 249.541 km
- Manon Bohard Cailler (FRA) - 3rd place at 2023 Long Trail World Mountain and Trail Running Championships, 11:34:22
- Marion Delespierre (FRA) - 1st place at 2023 Long Trail World Mountain and Trail Running Championships, 11:22:31
- Mai Fujisawa (JPN) - 2nd place at 2023 IAU 100 km Asia and Oceania Championships, 7:41:49
- Katharina Hartmuth (GER) - 2nd place at 2023 Long Trail World Mountain and Trail Running Championships, 11:29:14
- Camille Herron (USA) - 435,336 km, 48H IAU Record
- Maria Satu Iines Lipiäinen (FIN) - 153,600 km, 12H IAU Record
- Carla Molinaro (GBR) - 1st place at 2023 IAU 50 km World Championships, 3:18:23
- Miho Nakata (JPN) - 1st place at 2023 IAU 100 km Asia and Oceania Championships, 7:27:44 and 1st place at 2023 IAU 24H World Championships, 270.363 km (IAU World Record pending ratification)
- Mikiko Ota (JPN) - 3rd place at 2023 IAU 100 km Asia and Oceania Championships, 7:54:33
- Andrea Pomaranski (USA) - 2nd place at 2023 IAU 50 km World Championships, 3:19:07
- Olena Shevchenko (UKR) - 2nd place at 2023 IAU 24H World Championships, 254.463 km
- Sarah Webster (GBR) - 3rd place at 2023 IAU 50 km World Championships, 3:20:07
Men (alphabetic order):
- Peter Frano (SVK) - 3rd place at 2023 Long Trail World Mountain and Trail Running Championships, 10:02:10
- Chakib Lachgar Latrache (ESP) - 1st place at 2023 IAU 50 km World Championships, 2:48:20
- Haruki Okayama (JPN) - 2nd place at 2023 IAU 100 km Asia and Oceania Championships, 6:50:42
- Jesus Angel Olmos Pascual (ESP) - 3rd place at 2023 IAU 50 km World Championships, 2:50:12
- Andreas Reiterer (ITA) - 2nd place at 2023 Long Trail World Mountain and Trail Running Championships, 10:00:46
- Benjamin Roubiol (FRA) - 1st place at 2023 Long Trail World Mountain and Trail Running Championships, 9:52:59
- Toru Somiya (JPN) - 1st place at 2023 IAU 100 km Asia and Oceania Championships, 6:39:38
- Aleksandr Sorokin (LTU) - 1st place at 2023 IAU 24H World Championships, 301.790 km, 6:05:35 100 km World Record (pending ratification)
- Andrii Tkachuk (UKR) - 3rd place at 2023 IAU 24H World Championships, 284.540 km
- Alejandro Jimenez Vicente (ESP) - 2nd place at 2023 IAU 50 km World Championships, 2:49:30
- Hideaki Yamauchi (JPN) - 3rd place at 2023 IAU 100 km Asia and Oceania Championships, 6:55:51
- Fotios Zisimopoulos (GRE) - 2nd place at 2023 IAU 24H World Championships, 292.254 km
Nomination process:
A total of at most 30 (thirty) athletes (men and women athletes combined) will make the final nomination list (the number will only be increased under excruciating circumstances, on discussion of the IAU Executive Council).
As mentioned above there were 4 IAU Major Championships in 2023, as well as 2 new IAU Records, therefore there are 25 athletes making automatic nomination from the IAU Championships (all medalists) and new IAU records holder were added to the list. There are only 5 remining spots open for nomination.
The remaining five (5) spots on the nomination list will be open for recommendations from the general audience. Only runners running IAU Labeled events will be taken into consideration.
Please send your nominations via email for available spots no later than January 28th 2024 to:
The nominees receiving the most nominations will fill the remaining five spots. Once the nominees have been compiled, the final list will be published no later than January 30th so the Athletes can be moved on to, the voting stage of this process.
Voting process:
The voting will only be open to the IAU Executive Council, two members of the Athletes Commission and the Member Federations with each holding one (1) applicable vote. The process will start on January 30th 2024 and will end on February 14th 2024.
Each eligible voting individual has to vote for their top three (3) choices for men and for women from the final list of nominated athletes.
- 1st Choice: 5 points
- 2nd Choice: 3 points
- 3rd Choice: 1 point
After the final list of all nominees will be published and the voting process starts (30th January 2024) each IAU Executive Council Member, two members of the Athletes Commission and Member Federation can send their votes to:
- Jacek Bedkowski at Jacek.Bedkowski@iau-ultramarathon.org
- Hilmy Aboud Said at Hilmy.Aboud.Said@iau-ultramarathon.org
The votes will be compiled at the end and the runner (male and female) with the most votes will win the individual 2023 IAU Athletes of the Year titles.
Dates for the process:
January 14th – January 28th 2024
Nomination window
January 30th 2024
A final list of nominated athletes will be forwarded to the IAU Executive Council, Athletes Commission Chair and Vice Chair and IAU Member Federations.
January 30th – February 14th 2024
Voting process open for the Executive Council, Athletes Commission Chair and Vice Chair and Member Federations.
February 17th 2024
IAU Executive Council will confirm the 2023 IAU Athlete of the Year
Jacek Bedkowski
IAU Director of Communication
