Legendary Eliud Kipchoge named for Laureus Award

Eliud Kipchoge after winning the 2021 Association of National Olympic Committees (ANOC) Award for the Best Male Athlete at the Tokyo Olympics. [Courtesy]

Olympic champions Elaine Thompson-Herah, Allyson Felix and Eliud Kipchoge have been nominated for the Sportswoman and Sportsman of the Year honours in this year’s Laureus Awards.

Despite the ongoing disruption caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, the return of major events – including the Olympic Games in Tokyo – provided unforgettable drama in the sporting world, and they are reflected in the lists of nominees.

Kipchoge, the world marathon record holder, is one of six nominees for the men’s award, alongside NFL player Tom Brady, Bayern Munich footballer Robert Lewandowski, Formula One world champion Max Verstappen, tennis player Novak Djokovic and swimmer Caleb Dressel.

“I think we have to conclude that Eliud Kipchoge is now the greatest marathon runner of all time,” said World Athletics President and Laureus Academy Member Sebastian Coe.

“I had the great privilege of watching him win his Olympic title in Sapporo. He was so in command of that race that day. His contribution to athletics is Muhammad Ali-esque.”

Thompson-Herah, who last year was named the World Female Athlete of the Year, is nominated for the Laureus Sportswoman of the Year award following her triple gold-medal-winning performance in Tokyo, where she won the 100m, 200m and 4x100m.