Jamaica’s reigning sprint queen Elaine Thompson-Herah has won the 2021 World Athletics ‘Female Athlete of the Year’ award during a glitzy virtual ceremony on Wednesday (December 1).

Norweigian 400m record holder Karten Warholm was the recipient of the ‘Male Athlete of the Year’ award.

Thompson-Herah, among five finalists, appeared in a golden one-shoulder dress declared that with her historic ‘double-double’ Olympic conquests in Rio and more recently Tokyo, she has no intention of retiring just yet.

In fact, the five-time gold medallist is setting her sights on the elusive world record in the women’s 100m and 200m.

“No. I think I have more, so I’m just [taking] it year by year. You know I went very close to the world record so, anything is possible. No spikes hanging up anytime soon,” Thompson-Herah said.

She also expressed excitement at competing at next year’s World Championships, which will be staged in Eugene, Oregon in the United States.

“The World Championships in Oregon is most definitely my next big target,” she added. “It is close to home, I hope friends and family can come out and watch. I hope I get some crowd as well. That couldn’t happen in Tokyo but hopefully, in Eugene, I can get my friends and family to come and cheer me on.”

The list of 10 nominees for World Athletics ‘Female Athlete of the Year’ award was halved last Tuesday (November 23), with Jamaica’s Elaine Thompson-Herah still in the running.

Among the shortlisted finalists were 2020 winner Yulimar Rojas, Sifan Hassan, Faith Kipyegon and Sydney McLaughlin.

Other award winners were:

• Athing Mu, Female Rising Star
• Erriyon Knighton, Male Rising Star
• Federacion Costarricense de Atletismo (Costa Rica), Member Federations Award
• Mutaz Barshim and Gianmarco Tamberi, Inspiration Award
• Peter Diamond, Executive Vice President of NBC Olympic programming; President’s Award
• Bobby Kersee, Coaching Achievement Award
• Anju Bobby George, Woman of the Year Award
• Jean-Pierre Durand, World Athletics Photograph of the Year 

• Read more: Grange hails ‘awesome’ Elaine on being named 2021 Female Athlete of the Year