USA Track & Field announced in Indianapolis its nominees for the Athlete of the Year 2026. These awards aim to recognise a season marked by performances judged remarkable on the track and in the field, road running and para athletics. The announcement specifies that the nominees come from different sporting profiles, including world records, championship titles and victories throughout the 2026 season.
For the men on the track, Kenny Bednarek is among the nominees. The release says he won the 100 and 200 metres at the inaugural World Ultimate Championship. It also mentions a best seasonal time of 9.85 over 100 m and 19.52 over 200 m, as well as a win in the Diamond League final over 200 m.
In the women’s category, Masai Russell is named among the nominees for Athlete of the Year on the track. The text reports that she set a world and US record in the 100m hurdles at the Zürich Diamond League with 12.09 seconds, improving her American record. The announcement adds that she won the Diamond League final and the World Ultimate Championship, while extending a winning streak to 10 races.
For para athletics for women, Tatyana McFadden is one of the nominees for Para Track Athlete of the Year. The release specifies that she set a world record in the 400 m T54 with 50.05 seconds in Arbon, Switzerland, on 14 May, before 50.46. It also mentions multiple titles at the same meeting and a world record in the 800 m in Nottwil, Switzerland, in 1:41.14.
On the road, trail and ultra for the men, Clayton Young features among the nominees. The text says he ran the Bank of America Chicago Marathon in 2:05:23, which allows him to deliver the second-best performance of all time by an American over a marathon, according to the announcement. The same publication also mentions the voting procedure and the announcement of the winners on 5 December in Portland, Oregon.
