What a year it’s been for the track and field world! From the intense battles at the Olympics to the electrifying showdowns in the Diamond League and the all-female Athlos NYC, athletes have consistently delivered stellar performances. As the season comes to a close, World Athletics is preparing to crown the Field Athlete of the Year. But before the big reveal, the spotlight turns to the nominees—five men and five women—handpicked by a global panel of track and field experts representing all corners of the sport.

This list of nominees is a tribute to a year bursting with unforgettable moments—from the Paris 2024 Olympics to the World Athletics Indoor Championships and the thrilling one-day meets across the globe. Their achievements have defined the season, and now it’s time to see who made the cut.

Meet the season’s top contenders

On October 14, Track and Field Gazette jumped on X to reveal the lineup for the World Athletics Female Field Athlete of the Year nominees. And let’s just say, each name truly earned their spot. From the high-flying Yaroslava Mahuchikh and the powerful Valarie Allman to pole vault queen Nina Kennedy, and of course, Nafi Thiam—oh, and don’t forget the fierce Tara Davis-Woodhall.

Tara was so pumped that she shared the exciting news on her Instagram stories, reposting World Athletics’ post featuring her. She hyped it up, saying, “I was nominated @worldathletics women’s field athlete of the year. If you want to vote for me, all you have to do is like this photo.”

On the men’s side, the list of nominees for World Athletics Male Field Athlete of the Year featured big names like the record-breaker Mondo Duplantis, powerhouse Ryan Crouser, and stars like Jordan Diaz Fortun, Ethan Katzberg, and Miltiadis Tentoglou. But let’s go back to the female contenders as they clearly stole the show! Track and field fans flooded the comments section, each passionately rooting for their favorite athlete. And let’s just say, the reactions were all over the place—every fan had their own top pick, and the excitement was electric!

From Tara Davis-Woodhall to Yaroslava Mahuchikh, fans divided on who deserves the crown

Tara Davis-Woodhall is effortlessly dominating the 7-meter-plus range. In 2021, she launched a massive 7.14-meter jump at the Texas Relays, shattering records and landing herself in the top 30 all-time rankings. That incredible leap, along with her 7.04-meter performance at the Olympic Trials, secured her spot in the 2020 Olympics. While Tokyo didn’t bring her a medal, Tara’s resilience and determination have kept her pushing forward.

Fast forward to 2024, and she was out there bagging gold at the World Athletics Indoor Championships with another 7-meter jump. And yup, she did it again at the Paris Olympics—another 7-meter-plus leap, another gold medal. One fan totally nailed it, saying, “Tara sweeping, a consistent 7’0+ is not something any woman can do”

Another fan jumped in with, “Great Chouces All, but I must go with @vallman123 for her consistency, domination, and all-around amazingness!” And honestly? Can’t argue with that one bit! Whether it’s Tokyo or Paris, Diamond League 2021, the 2022 showdown, 2023’s epic meets, or even the 2024 spectacular—Valarie Allman has been all about stacking those golds. She’s out there proving she knows exactly how to throw and win. And oh, did I mention? She holds the North American record for the discus throw too.

One user was clearly caught in the dilemma of greatness, commenting, “This is a tough tie between Mahuchikh and Davis-Woodhall. Gonna wait and see.” And honestly, who could blame them? While Davis-Woodhall soars with her impressive 7+ jumps, the incredible Yaroslava Mahuchikh from Ukraine holds the women’s high jump world record. But that’s not all! Mahuchikh snagged gold at the 2024 Summer Olympics, triumphed at the 2023 World Championships, and dazzled at the 2022 World Indoor Championships. With such outstanding nominees, it’s no wonder fans are confused!

Yaroslava Mahuchikh is totally owning the title of world record holder, and it’s pretty wild to think about what she pulled off before the Paris Olympics! She jumped an insane 2.10 meters (6.88 feet) at a Diamond League meet in Paris, smashing a record that had been hanging around for a crazy 37 years! That old record of 2.09 meters? Yeah, it was set by Stefka Kostadinova way back in 1987! One fan even threw it out there, saying, “I would like Tara Davis to win, but Yaroslava Mahuchikh broke the world record after 37 years, she deserves it too,” as translated by google translation. It’s no surprise that fans are scratching their heads over this one—who wouldn’t be, given the lineup of such incredible nominees?