800m speedster Emmanuel Wanyonyi is among the five finalists nominated for the 2022 male rising star award by the World Athletics on Wednesday, November 1.
According to the organizers, Wanyonyi was nominated for the award because of the formidable performances he posted this year.
“World Athletics is delighted to announce the five nominees for the 2022 Men’s Rising Star Award, which will recognise this year's best U20 athlete at the World Athletics Awards 2022.
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“The nominations reflect the many standout performances that the sport has witnessed this year, at the World Athletics U20 Championships in Cali, the World Athletics Championships Oregon22 and other events around the world,” read part of the press statement from World Athletics.
The 2021 World Under 20 Athletics Championship gold medalist is in contention for the award alongside Botswana’s Letsile Tebogo and Jamaica’s Jaydon Hebbert.
French international Anthony Ammirati and United States’ Erriyon Knighton also made it to the final five.
Emmanuel Wanyonyi made a name for himself this year, upsetting some of the world’s biggest names in major competitions.
In June, the 18-year-old shocked many athletics fans when he outpaced the likes of 2012 London Olympic Games silver medalist Nijel Amos to clinch his maiden Diamond League title in Rabat, Morocco.
He also clocked 1:45.01 to win the 800m race at the Kip Keino Classic held at the Moi International Sports Center, Kasarani, in May.
At the 2022 World Athletics Championship, he overcame a star-studded field to register a fourth-place finish in a race that his compatriot Emmanuel Korir won.
The award's winner will be announced on the organizer’s social media accounts in December 2022.
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