Eliud Kipchoge recognised at Laureus Awards in Monaco.

Kenyan long-distance runner Eliud Kipchoge was recognised at the Laureus Awards in Monaco on Monday  for his extraordinary performances in the past year.

He was honoured with the Laureus Academy’s Exceptional Achievement award, a discretionary award that has only been handed out three times previously in the history of the event. Previous winners include swimming great Michael Phelps (2013), Chinese tennis champion Li Na (2015) and Italian football star Francesco Totti (2018).

Kipchoge thanked his fans for supporting him and stressed on the importance sports plays in making the world a peaceful and enjoyable place.

“It means a lot (to be recognised by the Laureus Academy). It means that I have been making a big impact in this world  to be recognised for exceptional achievement not just in athletics, but in the whole category of sport,” he said.

He is also a three-time winner at both the London Marathon and Berlin Marathon between 2015 and 2018 and is best described as “the greatest marathoner of the modern era”