When the story of Botswana’s sporting year is written, the name Collen Kebinatshipi will stand among the brightest chapters.
The 22-year-old sprinter has transformed 2026 into a season of extraordinary achievement, combining championship success, Diamond League dominance and record-breaking speed to emerge as one of the most compelling candidates for World Athletics Male Athlete of the Year honours.
His nomination is a recognition of a season in which the Botswana star has firmly established himself among the world’s elite. World Athletics has named him among 10 nominees for the prestigious award, with the winner to be crowned at the World Athletics Awards in Monaco on 29 November.
And Kebinatshipi’s case is powerful.
A season built on winning
His defining moment came in Budapest in September when he stormed to victory in the inaugural World Athletics Ultimate Championship 400m, stopping the clock at a breathtaking 43.39 seconds.
The performance was more than a championship victory. It was a new Botswana national record and moved him to fifth on the world all-time list. It also extended his record for the most sub-44-second races in one season to six.
But Budapest was only the climax.
Kebinatshipi had already conquered the Diamond League, winning the prestigious title and repeatedly rewriting competition records. His 43.40 victory in Brussels came after Diamond League records of 43.54 in Paris and 43.44 in Monaco.
His World Athletics profile now lists him as the world No. 1 in the men’s 400m, alongside two world championship titles, the Ultimate Championship title and a Diamond League Final victory.
From champion to global superstar
Kebinatshipi’s 2026 campaign has also demonstrated extraordinary range.
Earlier in the year, he ran 9.89 seconds over 100m, showing that his speed extends far beyond the 400m. His performances have helped establish him not merely as Botswana’s leading quarter-miler, but as one of the most versatile sprint talents in world athletics.
His rise has been remarkably rapid.
At just 22, Kebinatshipi has already accumulated achievements that many athletes spend an entire career pursuing. His latest 43.39 seconds has placed him in the company of some of the greatest 400m runners in history.
Why can he win Athlete of the Year?
Kebinatshipi’s strongest argument is consistency at the highest level.
He has won the World Athletics Ultimate Championship.
He has won the Diamond League title.
He has run 43.39 seconds, the fifth-fastest performance in history.
He has produced six sub-44-second races in one season.
He has repeatedly broken Diamond League records.
And, perhaps most importantly, he has consistently delivered on the biggest stages.
His challenge, however, is formidable. The 10-man field contains several athletes who have also produced historic seasons, including world-record holders and global champions.
The new voting system makes the contest even more intriguing. World Athletics says the nominees will be ranked through a four-way vote involving fans, athletes, media and the World Athletics Family, with each group contributing 25 percent. The top three men will become finalists before the winner is announced in Monaco.
Botswana can make its voice heard
For Botswana, Kebinatshipi’s nomination is bigger than one athlete.
It represents a country increasingly making its presence felt on the global athletics stage.
His performances have given young athletes something powerful to believe in: that a boy from Botswana can stand on the world’s biggest tracks and compete with — and beat — the very best.
Kebinatshipi is not simply chasing medals.
He is chasing history.
At 22, he is already a world champion, Diamond League champion and Ultimate champion. He has entered the top five of the 400m all-time list and continues to push the boundaries of what Botswana can achieve in athletics.
The Athlete of the Year race will be fiercely contested. But Kebinatshipi has something no statistic can fully capture — momentum, a remarkable winning record and a season that has captured the imagination of an entire nation.
For Botswana, the nomination itself is already a moment of pride.
But the dream is bigger.
From the blue of Botswana to the world stage, Collen Kebinatshipi now has the opportunity to turn a golden season into the ultimate individual honour.
The race is no longer only around the track.
It is a race for votes, recognition and history.
THE 10 MEN NOMINATED FOR WORLD ATHLETE OF THE YEAR 2026
- Kenny Bednarek — United States — Sprints
- Kristjan Čeh — Slovenia — Discus
- Andy Díaz Hernández — Italy — Triple Jump
- Alison dos Santos — Brazil — 400m Hurdles
- Mondo Duplantis — Sweden — Pole Vault
- Collen Kebinatshipi — Botswana — 400m
- Josh Kerr — Great Britain — 1500m/Mile
- Rumesh Tharanga Pathirage — Sri Lanka — Javelin
- Sabastian Sawe — Kenya — Marathon
- Ja’Kobe Tharp — United States — 110m Hurdles
The three men’s finalists are due to be announced in November, with the World Athlete of the Year winner to be crowned at the World Athletics Awards in Monaco on 29 November 2026.
| Women’s athlete of the year nominees: |
| Tigst Assefa, Ethiopia Chase Jackson, USA Melissa Jefferson-Wooden, USA Agnes Ngetich, Kenya Marileidy Paulino, Dominican Republic María Pérez, Spain Camryn Rogers, Canada Masai Russell, USA Audrey Werro, Switzerland tan Ziyi, China |
