By Kyle Merber
December 13, 2023
The Athlete of the Year Award was announced at World Athletics’ James Bond Cosplay Gala and it was a huge victory for boomers who enjoy complaining about how “these days, every kid gets a trophy!” For the first time since 1988, there was not a single winner named on the men’s and women’s side. Instead the presentation was best described by sources in Monaco as the scene in Mean Girls where Lindsay Lohan breaks the homecoming crown into a million pieces and throws it into the crowd, proclaiming that we are all winners!
Rather than two, there were six winners announced across the track, field, and road events. Predictably, the winners were Noah Lyles, Mondo Duplantis, Kelvin Kiptum, Faith Kipyegon, Yulimar Rojas, and Tigist Assefa. How can we possibly pit so many great athletes up against one another and choose just one?
Simple: vote.
Finally, there’s an election with too many good choices! And this is how we squander it. If you’re like me and find this cop out disappointing, then take solace in the fact that the “AGH, PARTICIPATION TROPHIES” opinion is not the hot take that you might believe it to be. Even the athletes have some thoughts on the subject! These are the highest performing athletes in the world – they can handle a subjective loss.
It’s just a made up award, so let’s not get too fussed about it. But why not just create a rubric for judgment and stick to it? In 2023, everyone is breaking a world record, so is that enough? Is it about dominance? Or should we be valuing versatility?
There is no reason to have an event- or gender-based split for this award. It’s not like Kelvin Kiptum is competing against Mondo Duplantis in any way, so how is pitting them against one another any different than including Yulimar Rojas? If there could only be one athlete of the year then it would be Faith Kipyegon: and she shouldn’t have to share that honor.
Kyle Merber
Kyle Merber is a former professional miler turned media multi-hyphenate. While he’s not above dropping a quick “back in my day,” he’s far more focused on the present. Since 2021, he has brought his signature analysis and commentary to track fans across the CITIUS MAG network. When he’s not writing The Lap Count or hopping on podcasts, Kyle manages partnerships and pitches a relentless stream of ideas for Chris to consider. He might not be running a 3:52 mile anymore, but he keeps himself in just good enough shape to ensure the athletes still respect him.
