This archive report was first published on 24 November 2019.
Kenya: Eliud Kipchoge Crowned 2019 World Athletics Male Athlete of the Year ¶
On November 23, 2019, Eliud Kipchoge, a 35-year-old Kenyan marathon champion, was named the 2019 World Athletics Male Athlete of the Year at the World Athletics Gala in Monaco.
He retained the award, beating four other contestants, including World Cross Country and World 10,000m champion Joshua Cheptegei from Uganda, World 200m champion Noah Lyles (USA), World 400m hurdles champion Karsten Warholm (Norway), and World pole vault champion Sam Kendricks (USA).
Although Kipchoge was not present at the Gala, he accepted the accolade in a telecast interview, saying, "It was really a special moment for me becoming the first human being to run under two hours. I am happy to inspire a whole generation,"
He achieved this feat by completing the Ïneos 1:59 Challenge in Vienna, Austria in 1:59:40.2 on October 12, 2019. This achievement came after he won the London Marathon in April in a course record of 2:02:37.
World 800m record holder David Rudisha was the first Kenyan to win the accolade in 2010.
Other winners at the World Athletics Gala included Dalilah Muhammad from the USA, who won the Female Athlete of the Year Award, and Colm O'Connell from Ireland, who coaches Rudisha and won the Coaching Achievement award.
WINNERS
Male Athlete of the year: Eliud Kipchoge (Kenya)
Female Athlete of the Year: Dalilah Muhammad (USA)
President's Award: The late Vikki Orvice (Journalist-Britain)
Fair Play Award: Braima Suncar Dabo (Guinea-Bissau)
Photographer of the Year: Felix Sanchez Arrazola (Spain)
Coaching Achievement: Colm O'Connell (Ireland/Kenya)
Woman of the Year: Derartu Tulu (Ethiopia)
Male Rising Star award: Selemon Barega (Ethiopia)
Female Rising Star Award: (no winner mentioned)
