Kipchoge nominated for Best Male Award: London Marathon champ Keittany also shortlisted in AIMS list

Eliud Kipchoge of Kenya smiles after winning the Berlin Marathon on September 24, 2017 in Berlin. / AFP PHOTO

Olympic champion will be hoping to crown year with another honour.

Kenya’s top marathoner and arguably the world’s best distance runner Eliud Kipchoge is set to end his outstanding season on a high having been nominated again for this year’s Association of International Marathons (AIMS) Best Male Runner award.

Kipchoge, 34, will contest the title alongside his compatriot Geoffrey Kirui, the IAAF World marathon champion for the awards ceremony scheduled for November 10, in Athens.

The AIMS Best Marathon Runner Awards Gala will see the male and female Marathon runners voted as such by AIMS member races getting recognition.

Other awards will be made to AIMS member races who have displayed best practice in environmental and social policies. The AIMS Lifetime Achievement Award will be presented to someone who has made a major contribution to the sport of distance running.

Kipchoge who unsuccessfully attempted to break Dennis Kimetto’s world record in Berlin last month thus winning his eight marathon out of nine encounters will be eyeing his third consecutive AIMS award having won in 2015 and 2016. 

Earlier in this year, Kipchoge attempted to become the first runner to run 42km in sub-two hours during the Nike Breaking2 project crossing the line in 2:00:25 in Monza, Italy.

He posted on his Twitter: “An honour to be nominated for the AIMS Best Marathon Runner Awards again! Thank you for your support”

In the women’s category, the three-time London and New York Marathon champion Mary Keittany has been nominated.

The 35-year old who broke women-only world record timing 2:17:01 will contest for the award against former Kenyan Rose Chelimo now turning for Bahrain.

Chelimo beat Kenya’s Ednah Kiplagat to silver at the World Championships in London in August this year to earn her major world title.

Meanwhile, Kenyans Olympic 5,000m champion Vivian Cheruiyot and defending Mark Korir top of the charts at the Franfurt Marathon this Sunday.

Cheruiyot, 34, who made transition from track to road race last year making her full marathon debut in April during the London Marathon finishing the 42km race with a time of 2:23:50 will be eyeing her first marathon victory when she lines up alongside Ethiopian Feyse Tadese Boru, the fastest starter in the women’s field with the world class time of2:20:27.