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NAIROBI, Nov. 19-- World steeplechase record holder Beatrice Chepkoech of Kenya has made the cut in the final five athletes eyeing the 2018 IAAF Female Athlete of the Year award. "I want to win the athlete of the year award but the more important assignment for me is to run well and win the world title in Qatar next year," Chepkoech said on Monday from Eldoret. The 27-year-old missed out on the Olympics title in Rio Olympics back in 2016 finishing fourth while she had to swallow the bitter pill in London World Championships in 2017 when she was elbowed out of the medal bracket yet again, finishing fourth. Chepkoech, who is the Continental Cup and Africa 3,000m steeplechase champion, will now battle it out with sprinter Dina Asher-Smith of Britain, triple/long jumper Caterine Ibarguen from Colombia, Shaunae Miller-Uibo (Bahamas) and heptathlon athlete Nafissatou Thiam of Belgium, who won it in 2017. "The five athletes, who represent five countries from four Area associations, have illustrated excellence across nearly all athletics disciplines in 2018," said a statement from International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF). The IAAF Council and the IAAF Family cast their votes by email, while fans voted online via the IAAF's social media platforms. The IAAF Council's vote counted for 50 percent of the result, while the IAAF Family's votes and the public votes each counted for 25 percent of the final result. Voting closed on Nov. 12. | 
