World Athletics announced on 4 November the three finalists for its Coach of the Year award: Felipe de Siqueira of Brazil, Rolando “Lonnie” Greene of the Bahamas and Ken Harnden of Zimbabwe. The winner will be announced live on stage at the World Athletics Awards in Monaco on Sunday 29 November. Each finalist coaches an athlete who set a world record in 2026.
De Siqueira is the long-time coach of Alison dos Santos, the two-time Olympic medallist who lowered the 400m hurdles world record to 45.80 and won the 2026 World Athletics Ultimate Championship. His nomination recognises the Brazilian’s development from emerging talent into world record-holder. Dos Santos is also among the 20 nominees for World Athlete of the Year.
Greene coaches Masai Russell and Devynne Charlton. Russell set a world record of 12.09 in the 100m hurdles and won the Ultimate title, while Charlton equalled her own world indoor 60m hurdles record of 7.65 when winning the world indoor title. Harnden, who works within the Auburn programme, coaches Ja’Kobe Tharp, who set a 12.75 world record in the 110m hurdles at the age of 20 and also won the Ultimate title; his nomination recognises Tharp’s progression from world U20 champion to senior world record-holder.
The award has a new selection process. The Coaches’ Commission was established at the end of 2025 and compiled a long list of nominees. Area coaches’ associations, or alternative nominated bodies where none exist, then ranked the nominees across the six World Athletics areas to produce the three finalists and one winner.
All three finalists come from the hurdles and the 400m hurdles, a reflection of a season in which both hurdles disciplines produced world records. The athlete finalists for the World Athlete of the Year awards are due on 10 and 11 November, ahead of the Monaco ceremony, which will also present the Rising Star awards, the President’s Award and a first Moment of the Year award.