Faith Kipyegon, Beatrice Chebet awarded Golden Plates by American institution

It has also been glory after glory for Chebet, who demolished the women’s 10000m record at the Eugene Diamond League in May this year.

After the world record stun, Chebet proved that she was the long distance athlete to watch when bagged gold medals in 5000m and 100000m.

President William Ruto who was recognized by the same institution barely two weeks ago, and who was present at the dinner at Lincoln Centre, New York, where Kipyegon and Chebet were awarded,  applauded the Kenyan duo, saying they had been awarded for their hard work.

“Congratulations Faith Kipyegon and Beatrice Chebet for being recognised and awarded by the Academy of Achievement.

The extraordinary honour is a solid tribute to your hard work, talent and dedication to athletics. No doubt, it will inspire upcoming athletes and help shape our country’s sports,” Ruto said.Kipyegon and Chebet join several sportsmen and women who have been awarded Golden Plates by the institution.

They include multiple Olympic champion, retired American sprinter Allyson Felix, celebrated artistic gymnast Simone Biles and the late British middle-distance runner Sir Roger Bannister among others.

The American Academy of Achievement was founded by Brian Blaine Reynolds, an acclaimed photographer best known for his contributions to Life magazine and Sports Illustrated.

Reynolds established the Academy of Achievement to bring aspiring young people together with real-life heroes — the kind of achievers he met every week on assignment.

He discovered that visionaries and pioneers, who often strike us as larger-than-life, are real people who endured setbacks and persevered through everyday challenges, like anyone else.

The difference is in how they kept their eyes open to new opportunities, and in how they went about achieving their dreams. The Academy’s first annual Banquet of the Golden Plate program was held at Monterey, California in September of 1961.