Kosgei and Kipchoge shoulder Kenya’s hopes
Athletics
By
Robin Toskin in Monaco
| Nov 23, 2019
World marathon record holders, the peerless Eliud Kipchoge and Brigid Kosgei will take centre stage at the Gramaldi Forum during World Athletics Athlete of the Year gala here in Principality Monaco on the French Riviera.
Kipchoge, who became the first human to run the 42km under two hours when he clocked 1:59:40 in Vienna, Austria on October 12 will be gunning to retain the Male Athlete of the Year Award.
The Olympic champion holds the official World Marathon record 2:01:39 and having won the London Marathon for the fourth time in a course record of 2:02:37 he will be hoping to cap a remarkable year.
Kipchoge faces stiff competition from Uganda’s Joshua Cheptegei, who won the World Cross-Country Championships in Denmark, as well as the 10,000m title in Doha on October 6 in a world-leading 26:48.36.
Noah Lyles of the United States, who won the world 200m and 4 x 100m titles in Doha, and both 100m and 200m Diamond League titles, becoming the first man in history to do so in the same season also stands in the way of Kipchoge. Norway’s Karsten Warholm winner of 400m hurdles at the 2019 world championships, Diamond League and European Indoor Championships titles is the other contender for the Male World Athlete of the Year award.
For Kipchoge, who did not make it to Monaco for the gala this evening, he will be hoping for lightning to strike twice at the same place.
As for Brigid Kosgei, who took more than a minute off Paula Radcliffe’s marathon world record of 2:15:25 at the 2019 Chicago Marathon by running 2:14:04 winning the Female award will be a high point of a scintillating season. Kosgei, a mother of two, also won this year’s London Marathon and set a world-leading half-marathon time of 1:05:28 at the Great North Run.
Yesterday, Kosgei paid glowing tribute to her fans both in Kenya and around the world for nominating her for the award.
“I am hugely indebted to all Kenyans and our government for standing with me. Whatever the outcome of the awards, I want all Kenyans to know they are my greatest inspiration. As for the government, just to know that the CS for Sports Amb. Amina (Mohamed) is here and the Sports CS shows how they are committed to seeing athletes succeed,” Kosgei said.
She added: “I would not be here were it not for my family, Kenyans and our government. I want everyone to know you can achieve your dream if you work hard.”