Track and Field Stars Who’ve Won Laureus Awards After Faith Kipyegon Loses to Aitana Bonmatí

• Faith Kipyegon lost the 2024 Laureus World Sports Awards despite having a splendid track season
• Aitana Bonmati won the Sportswoman of the Year for her achievements with Spain and Barcelona
• Sports Brief looks at the track and field stars who have won the award since its inception in 2000

The 2024 Laureus World Sports Awards took place this week, with track and field stars taking a backseat despite a dominant 2023 season.

Tennis sensation Novak Djokovic beat several other top stars, including Lionel Messi and Noah Lyles, to win the Sportsman of the Year award. Aitana Bonmati then added the Sportswoman of the Year award to her CV just a couple of months after winning her maiden Ballon d'Or.

Many fans felt that Faith Kipyegon deserved the award over the Barcelona Femeni attacking midfielder. In 2023, the Kenyan athlete broke three world records in a span of two months. She then won the world titles in 1500m and 5000m at the World Athletics Championships in Budapest.

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Track and field athletes who've won Laureus Award

Kipyegon might have missed the award by a whisker, but a couple of track and field stars have won it in the past.

1. Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce - 2023

Well, the person Kipyegon was seeking to replace in Jamaican sprint queen Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce. In 2022, Fraser-Pryce made history by becoming the first woman to win five 100m world titles at the World Championships in Oregon. She also ran sub-10.7 for 100m seven times, three more than the previous best for a female sprinter in a calendar year.

2. Elaine Thompson-Herah - 2022

Fraser-Pryce succeeded her fellow Jamaican. Thompson-Herah ruled the roost at the rescheduled Tokyo Olympics in 2021, becoming the first person to defend her 100m and 200m titles successfully. She then added a third gold medal by starring in Jamaica's 4 by 100m relay team.

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Athletics

3. Genzebe Dibaba - 2015

In 2015, Genzebe Dibaba was rewarded for her heroics in the world indoor races, where she set world records in the 1500m, 3000m and a world best in the two miles as captured by World Athletics.

She also set world-leading times in the 5000m and 2000m in the outdoor season. Dibaba became the first Ethiopian to win the award.

4. Usain Bolt - 2009, 2010, 2013, 2017

The greatest track and field athlete of all time. Undebatable. Usain Bolt's impressive credentials and speed on the track saw him rack four awards before calling it quits in 2017.

The first two, in 2009 and 2010, were predominantly for constantly breaking the world records in 100m and 200m before setting them to the 9.58 seconds and 19.19 seconds they are today.

Only Roger Federer and Djokovic have more awards than him. He has been nominated for the award seven times, losing only three times.

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5. Vivian Cheruyiot - 2012

The Pocket Rocket led an unbeatable 2011 season. She became the second person to win both the 5000m and 10000m titles in the same championship.

The Kenyan star beat Carmelita Jeter of the United States and Petra Kvitova of the Czech Republic, among other stars.

Side note

American sprinter Marion Jones was the first winner of the award in 2000, but it was later rescinded after it was found that she had used performance-enhancing substances.

2024 Ballon d'Or rankings

Sports Brief has also compiled a list of the frontrunners for the 2024 Ballon d'Or.

Real Madrid's Jude Bellingham is currently the favourite to succeed Lionel Messi as the award winner.

The England international will receive competition from the likes of Kylian Mbappe and Harry Kane.