Lol. World Athletics track athlete of the year finalist are SML and Femke Bol. What a joke. Where is Beatrice Chebet or MJW?

From what I could gather online, the “WA Family” includes WA member federations, athletes, coaches, journalists, and officials. Those folks understand the significance of what Sydney did in Tokyo.

The Council is described here:

worldathletics.org

Council

Council Page

Open link

"Those folks understand the significance of what Sydney did in Tokyo..."

I wouldn't be so sure. On top of that, you think all of those groups are equally unbiased & objective? Hell no.

If 75% of votes are truly knowledgeable people that base their vote on athlete achievements, Chebet and MJW would have been the finalists. So I'm not as confident in the unbiased expertise of the Council and/or Family as you seem to be.

Please read the thread if you want to know what I think. I’ve already said there must have been subjectivity in the voting because that’s the only explanation for Bol being a finalist.

I think it’s fair to say WA member federations, athletes, coaches, journalists, and officials understand the significance of what Sydney did in Tokyo. Go back and watch the video of her race. There was a collective gasp in the stadium when people saw her time. They knew they had just witnessed a special performance.

I like how WA spreads responsibility for allowing member federations control over the stellar volunteers they select to officiate and report on their nation's team for TV etc. In contrast the DL locks out countries, does not recognize national federations, roadblocking innovation. Every track club, charity meet, university, publication and website was denied permission by the DL to cover the DL Final in Zurich this year. The DL instead picked their own representation, had 'rights free' materials universally available for nations. But that is not 'free press' the right to report on what we observe not the DL's crafted narrative.

I agree. It is insane!!! I agree with what Jon said on the podcast 100% It’s between Melissa Jefferson and Beatrice. Faith would be third for me. Sydney is an ok pick, her 400 time blew my mind!!! But Faiths 1500 was just as good if not better, plus she ran a killer 3000 as well, and won an individual gold (same as Sydney). Jefferson competed frequently, beat everyone all season at all the biggest meets in both the 100 and 200 (only took one loss all season in the 200 to the reigning Olympic champ) and tan killer fast time in both 100 and 200. Beatrice 5000 is just as good as Sydney’s 400 (maybe better) and she won 2 individual golds vs Sydney’s 1.
Femke is my favorite female track athlete, and she’s awesome and had a good year! But she didn’t run an all time fast time like the other ladies, and won 1 individual gold whereas Melissa and Beatrice won 2. Like was said on the podcast, literally no one would even be able to explain the logic for Femke to win the award.

Except that EVERYONE (ok excluding delusional Bol fans) knows Bol was “undefeated” in 2025 because Sydney chose to run 400m instead of 400mH at Tokyo.
Sydney against the strongest rivals aka Paulino and Naser to win her new event. And Bol?

Yes, 47.78 weighs A LOT in athletes and professionals minds. Whether you like it or not. Just ask Naser. She said in her interview after the final that she had never dreamed to break 47. 6 before ‘this night’ but now she’s motivated to run under 48 and try to break the WR too. That’s what Sydney’s performance means to all 400m runners. I’m sure WA and its ‘family’ appreciate it very much.

Distance records have been broken much more frequently since shoe technology has changed.

Maybe people think those new records aren't as significant as a result. 400 open times have not on average shown an improvement, which perhaps makes Sidney's performance more unique.

Or it shows shoes don't make the difference some think they do.

You are stupid. You have been told countless times new shoes offer residual help, if any, from 800m down.

Yes - there are a lot of science deniers and conspiracy thinkers on this site. So trampoline shoes only magically kick in (so to speak) at 1500?

Just for clarification on "she didn't run an all time fast time"', Bol won the World Championships in the 9th fastest ever, and ran two other times in the AT top 20 (16 & 17 AT). She backed that up with the 22nd AT, the 23rd, the 30th, the 33rd, the 39th, the 47th, and 52nd. So she ran 8 times in the AT top 50.

SML also won in a top 10 AT like Bol (Number 2 AT) , and then had 1 other race in the AT top 20 (14 AT). Her next best was 51st AT. So SML had 2 times in the top 50.

So don't anybody tell me that SML's resume is better overall than Bol's in 2025. Her best time was better than Bol's, yes, but Bol's overall season was better. And it's AOY not POY, remember...

Bol is a finalist because enough inside voters realize that announcing her as "2025 athlete of the year" is great for DL publicity.

Zur was just a regular DL that was 2 days all events with a the normal amount of a hundred or so meet staff. It wasn't worlds with 10,000 meet staff.