World Athletics Awards 2025: Botswana Leads Nominees for 2025 Member Federations Award
Botswana has emerged at the forefront of the nominees for the 2025 Member Federations Award, a prestigious honour to be presented at the World Athletics Awards later this month.
The award celebrates a federation that has distinguished itself through outstanding achievements and contributions to the growth and profile of athletics worldwide. Six federations, each nominated by their respective area associations, are in contention, with the winner to be announced on 28 November by the World Athletics Executive Board.
Botswana’s nomination reflects a year of historic success, highlighted by Collen Kebinatshipi’s triumph as world 400m champion and the nation’s gold medal in the 4x400m relay at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo.
These achievements underscored the country’s long-term investment in talent development, coaching, and athlete support systems, positioning Botswana as a rising force in global athletics.
China also earned recognition for its progress across institutional innovation, youth development, gender equality, and event hosting, including the World Athletics Indoor Championships in Nanjing and the World Athletics Relays in Guangzhou.
Ecuador’s nomination was driven by its strategic focus on participation and inclusivity, capped by two historic medals in Tokyo and the continuation of grassroots projects such as ‘Chasqui Kids.’
New Zealand celebrated a landmark year with international medals in steeplechase, high jump, and shot put, alongside the release of its High Performance Plan 2025–2028, which sets the stage for future Olympic success.
Spain impressed with a record medal haul at the European U20 Championships, strong performances in Tokyo, and governance reforms that enhanced transparency and inclusivity.
The United States, meanwhile, topped the medal table in Tokyo and reinforced its leadership in safeguarding, coaching development, and competition innovation, announcing the launch of the 2026 USATF Tour.
