Eliud Kipchoge named UN Kenya Person of the Year

World Marathon record holder Eliud Kipchoge [Courtesy]

World Marathon record holder Eliud Kipchoge has been named United Nations Kenya Person of the Year

He received the award at United Nations headquarters in Gigiri, Nairobi on Wednesday.

The record-breaker was lauded for his exemplary performances, courage, work on HIV\AIDS and endurance.

Kipchoge, who set a jaw-dropping world marathon record of 2:01.39 at Berlin Marathon last month, is also among four Kenyans nominated for IAAF Male and Female Athlete of the Year awards.

He won the London Marathon in April and managed the biggest improvement on a men’s marathon world record since 1967.

World 3,000m steeplechase record holder Beatrice Chepkoech, world 800m champion Emmanuel Korir and IAAF Diamond League Trophy winner Timothy Cheruiyot have also been nominated for the IAAF awards.

He won the London Marathon in April and managed the biggest improvement on a men’s marathon world record since 1967 [Courtesy]

They were selected by an international panel of athletics experts, comprising representatives from all six continental areas of the IAAF.

Korir set a world-leading time of 1:42.05, which is the fastest in 800m since David Rudisha’s set the world record of 1:40.91 at the Olympic Stadium in East London.

He won the IAAF Diamond League Trophy, the IAAF Continental Cup and African Championships silver as well as emerging as world number six in 400m.

World 1,500m silver medalist Timothy Cheruiyot set world-leading time in 1,500m and one mile and posted nine wins in 11 races across the two distances. He is a Diamond League Trophy winner and settled for silver at the Commonwealth Games and Africa Senior Championships.

Chepkoech won world steeplechase record by eight seconds, backed up by the third-quickest time. She won seven out of eight steeplechase finals.