Kenyan middle distance sensation Emmanuel Kiprono has a chance to cap a spectacular season with the 2026 World Athletics Rising Star Award.
Kiprono was named in the list of finalist for the prestigious award alongside American prodigies, Cooper Lutkenhaus and Tate Taylor.
"World Athletics is pleased to announce the three finalists for the 2026 Men's Rising Star Award, which will recognise this year's best U20 athlete at the World Athletics Awards in Monaco on 29 November," World Athletics said in a statement.
"The nominations reflect some of the standout U20 performances witnessed across the sport this year, at World Athletics Series events, regional championships and one-day meeting circuits around the world."
"The winner of the 2026 Men's Rising Star Award will be announced live on stage at the World Athletics Awards."
Kiprono's nomination is built around his exploits on the track and in cross country, where he has combined championship-winning performances with impressive consistency against some of the world's best young distance runners.
The Kenyan announced himself on the global stage at the World Athletics Cross Country Championships in Tallahassee, Florida, on January 10, where he claimed silver in the men's U20 race.
He clocked 23:20 to finish second behind compatriot Frankline Kibet, who won in 23:18, as Kenya swept the podium. Andrew Alamisi took bronze in 23:28.
Kiprono's finest moment, however, came at the World Athletics U20 Championships in Eugene, Oregon, in August, where he delivered a commanding performance to capture the men's 3000m title in a championship-record 7:28.28.
The Kenyan took the race by the scruff of the neck from the opening stages, building an enormous advantage over his rivals before crossing the finish line almost 20 seconds clear of France's Alois Abraham, who settled for silver in 7:47.79.
Japan's Ojiro Honda completed the podium in 7:48.49.
His winning time was particularly impressive, placing him second on the world U20 all-time list and just 0.09 seconds shy of the world U20 record of 7:28.19 set by Ethiopia's Yomif Kejelcha in 2016.
Kiprono had earlier underlined his credentials at the Kenyan trials for the World U20 Championships at Nyayo Stadium in May, winning the 3000m in 7:35.4 to secure his Team Kenya ticket. He beat Edwin Elkana (7:59.6) and Enock Tuitoek (8:01.0).
Lutkenhaus, meanwhile, has enjoyed one of the most extraordinary breakthrough seasons by a teenage middle-distance runner.
The American began his year by rewriting the record books at the World Athletics Indoor Championships in Kujawy Pomorze, Poland, in March, where he stormed to the men's 800m title in 1:44.24.
In doing so, he became the youngest athlete to win an individual title at a World Athletics Championships, indoors or outdoors.
He carried that momentum to the Diamond League circuit, winning the 800m title on his series debut at the Stockholm meeting on June 7.
Lutkenhaus clocked 1:42.70 to beat Canada's Marco Arop (1:43.11) and Algeria's Slimane Moula (1:43.41).
Taylor's highlight of his season came at the Prefontaine Classic in Eugene on July 4, where he stunned a strong senior field to win the men's 200m in a personal best of 19.7
He beat Botswana's Olympic champion Letsile Tebogo (19.93) and Zimbabwe's Makanakaishe Charamba (20.11).
He carried that form into the World Athletics U20 Championships, also staged in Eugene from August 5-9, where he produced a historic treble.
Taylor claimed the 100m title in a personal-best 9.94 before doubling in the 200m in 19.83.
He completed his remarkable championship with gold in the 4x100m relay, anchoring the United States to victory in a world U20 record of 38.16.
