Olympic champ Kipchoge, Obiri crowned Kenya's best athletes in 2019 season
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E-mail Xinhua, January 26, 2020
NAIROBI, Jan. 25 (Xinhua) -- Olympic Marathon champion Eliud Kipchoge and world 5,000m winner Hellen Obiri have been feted as Kenya's Sports Personality of the Year in a special gala held in Mombasa.
It was the second time in a row that Kipchoge was crowned the best from the country, which echoes well with the 2019 World Athletics Male Athlete of the year, which was awarded to him in Monaco in November.
Kipchoge edged out Harambee Stars striker Michael Olunga, Olympic steeplechase champion Conseslus Kipruto, world champion Timothy Cheruiyot and world half marathon record holder Geoffrey Kamworor to be crowned the Kenyan Sportsman of 2019 while Obiri had to battle out with exemplary performance from rivals Brigid Kosgei, the London and Chicago marathon winner, who is also the World record holder and Ruth Chepngetich, the World marathon champion.
"I hope my performance has inspired a lot of generation and I trust that everyone will prosper in life and be happy," said Kipchoge on Friday.
Kipchoge, who is also the world marathon record holder, is yet to be beaten in 14 out of the 15 races he has competed in since 2012.
Last year, he had a hugely successful season, defending his London Marathon title in London in a course record of 2:02:37 and going on to become the first man to ever run the marathon in under two hours after clocking 1:59:40 in the INEOS 1:59 challenge in Vienna, Austria.
On her part Obiri overcame a competitive field to win the Female Athlete of the Year award.
Obiri, who won two world titles in 2019, the World Cross Country and the 5,000m at the World Championship, won the award ahead of two-time London marathon champion and women's marathon world record holder, Brigid Kosgei, world steeplechase champion Beatrice Chepkoech, world marathon champion Ruth Chepngetich and body builder Evelyn Okinyi Owala.
"Indeed for me 2019 was a good year. I won the World 5000m title for the second time. It has been a long season since I won the World Cross Country Championships in March, but I finally got what I wanted," said Obiri.
Kipchoge and Obiri will now turn their focus on the Olympic Games and the London marathon. Enditem
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