Noah Lyles became the second man to win a USA Track and Field Athlete of the Year award three times, while Sha’Carri Richardson won for the first time.
Lyles, who swept the 100m, 200m and 4x100m at August’s world championships, joined Michael Johnson as the only men to win the Jesse Owens Award three times. Lyles also won in 2018 and 2022.
Lyles and countryman Ryan Crouser, the Olympic and world champion and world record holder in the shot put, are among five finalists for World Athletics Male Athlete of the Year. The winner is expected to be announced Dec. 11 as part of the World Athletics Awards.
The last U.S. man to win World Athlete of the Year was decathlete Ashton Eaton in 2015.
Richardson, who won 100m and 4x100m gold and 200m bronze at worlds, became the first woman who primarily runs the 100m to win the Jackie Joyner-Kersee Award since Carmelita Jeter in 2011.
Richardson was the lone American among 11 nominees for World Athletics’ Female Athlete of the Year. No American made the list of five finalists.
Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone won the Joyner-Kersee Award in 2021 and 2022, then missed this season’s worlds due to a minor knee issue.
