Eliud Kipchoge wins IAAF male athlete of the year, Kenyans react

Olympic champion Kipchoge shattered the world marathon record by 78 seconds as he completed the Berlin Marathon in two hours, one minute and 39 seconds.

Kipchoge is a first-time winners of the award.

Kipchoge’s performance marked the biggest improvement in the marathon record since Australian Derek Clayton took almost two and a half minutes off the mark in 1967.

The 34-year-old Kenyan also won the London Marathon in 2018.

He also missed by 26 seconds breaking the magical two-hour barrier when he crossed the line in 2:00.25 in a special race on the Monza circuit in Italy in 2017 that was not eligible for record purposes.

Here are some of the reaction;

Congratulations to our December cover model @eliudkipchoge for winning the IAAF Award. You are truly a GOT pic.twitter.com/SpJfioGkR2

— Parents Magazine (@parentsafrica) December 5, 2018

 

https://twitter.com/UKenyatta/status/1070168343473283072

Congratulations Eliud Kipchoge for winning 2018 IAAF Male Athlete of the Year! I wish the Kenyan politician could aspire to achieve greatness in the manner in which you’ve accomplished great achievements. pic.twitter.com/xQ8Y70iVZ4

— Adipo Sidang’ (@AdipoetryKE) December 5, 2018

Eliud Kipchoge e Caterine Ibarguen atleti mondiali dell’anno al Gala IAAF di Montecarlo https://t.co/9OlY7KcneD

— FOX Sports (@FOXSportsIT) December 5, 2018

Congratulations to Eliud Kipchoge for being awarded as the IAAF Male Athlete of the Year 2018 at Monaco. A legend you will be and an all time great game changer, bravo @EliudKipchoge #AthleticsAwards#BallonDor2018 pic.twitter.com/QfTj9IHQcv

— seth odongo (@sethodongo1) December 5, 2018

Congratulations Eliud Kipchoge for being named IAAF Male Athlete of the Year 2018. This fete coincides with our launch of the Skills Mismatch Survey where the youth were encouraged to harness their skills and potential for employability #fkeskillsmismatch pic.twitter.com/0HYvYEyN8Q

— FKE Kenya (@FKEKenya) December 5, 2018

Congratulations to the legendary marathon world-record holder @EliudKipchoge, on winning the 2018 @iaaforg Male Athlete of the Year Award. Here’s wishing him countless more! https://t.co/DqimxfeIV3

— procamrunning.in (@procamrunning) December 5, 2018

. @EliudKipchoge 🇰🇪 wins the Male Athlete of the Year Award 2018

The Kenyan destroyed the marathon world record in Berlin with 2:01:39, and won his third London Marathon title #AthleticsAwards pic.twitter.com/ZDkMzvAPio

— World Athletics (@WorldAthletics) December 4, 2018