Emotions Run High as Kiptum wins the 2023 Sportsman Of The Year Award.
Emotions Run High as Kiptum wins the 2023 Sportsman Of The Year Award: The late world marathon record holder Kelvin Kiptum and double world record holder Faith Kipyegon were on Friday night crowned at the 20th edition of the Sports Personality of the Year Awards (SOYA) Gala held at KICC in Nairobi.
Kiptum who was laid to rest last week, was honoured in his death with the Sportsman of the Year Award while track queen Kipyegon won the Sportswoman of the Year Award for the third successive year.
On an emotional night, Sports CS Ababu Namwamba paused and took a few deep breaths as he announced the late star as the winner of the men’s category.
“This is a difficult one. How I wish he was here to pick this accolade himself,” CS Namwamba held back emotions as he remembered a historic year for the late marathoner.
The athlete died together with his coach Gervais Hakizimana in a tragic road accident on February 11, a few days before the gala, prompting the organisers to postpone it.
In his sad absence, former world marathon record holder Patrick Makau stepped on the floor to pick the accolade from CS Namwamba on behalf of the fallen athlete’s family.
In the women’s category, Kipyegon beat 5km world record holder Beatrice Chebet and world 800m champion Mary Moraa to win a number of accolades.
Kipyegon broke three world records last year in her traditional 1500m, the 5,000m and the mile, though the 5,000m record was later broken by Gudaf Tsegay of Ethiopia.
She also became the first woman to win the double of 1,500 and 5,000 metres at the World Championships held in Budapest.