Kenya’s flag is flying high all around the world as our very own world marathon record holder Eliud Kipchoge, puts the country on the map once again! It seems to be a year of victory for the marathoner who barely two months ago was named United Nations Kenya Person of the Year.
Well, Kipchoge now has a new title to brag about and it’s one of those that athletes all over the world would give anything for. Eliud Kipchoge was yesterday night crowned Male Athlete of the Year at the most prestigious 2018 IAAF (International Association of Athletics Federations) Athletics Awards.
It’s not just a big deal for Kipchoge but for the entire country as this is the second time in all of IAAF’s history that a Kenyan is winning an award.
The first Kenyan to ever win an IAAF award was the 30-year old middle distance runner, David Lekuta Rudisha in 2010.
Almost eight years ago, Rudisha was crowned the IAAF World Athlete of the Year making him not just the first Kenyan to ever win an award but also the youngest person to have ever received the award that is held with such high esteem.
Kipchoge is well deserving of his win especially after he scintillated the world with his world record running at the Berlin Marathon in September. In a ceremony attended by Prince Albert of Monaco, Kipchoge was bestowed the title he will brag about for the rest of his life.
In the battle for the Male Athlete of the Year, Olympic Marathon champion and World Record holder Eliud Kipchoge was the only Kenyan finalist after Emmanuel Korir and Timothy Cheruiyot who were initially shortlisted were dropped off after voting.
To date there has never been a Kenyan woman crowned as the IAAF Female Athlete of the Year and in as much as Kenyans were rooting for Beatrice Chepkoech to bag the award, Colombian jumper Ibarguen beat her to it.
The IAAF Awards honours the world’s best athletes through a vigorous voting process.