Eliud Kipchoge and Dalilah Muhammad named athletes of the year

Kenya’s Eliud Kipchoge and U.S-based African American athlete, Dalilah Muhammad, have been named World Athletics’ male and female athletes of the year. 

The pair were recognized at the World Athletic Awards on Saturday after their record-breaking season. 

Kipchoge, who won the same award last year said: “I hope to inspire the human race. I’m just really happy to make history. I hope it was a big inspiration to the next generation.”

He beat World Cross Country and World 10,000m champion Joshua Cheptegei from Uganda, World 200m champion Noah Lyles (USA), World 400m hurdles champion Karsten Warholm (Norway) and World pole vault champion Sam Kendricks (USA) to retain the award.

The 35-year-old has had a trophy-laden career. He won the London Marathon for a fourth time early this year before he became the first to run a marathon in under two hours, covering the 26.2 miles (42.2km) in one hour 59 minutes 40 seconds in the Ineos 1:59 Challenge in October.

Also, Dalilah Muhammad, who broke the record twice last year in the World Championship 400m hurdles in Doha was awarded the female athlete of the year.

The American has been a person of interest after winning her first medal in 2007 in the World Youth Championships in Ostrava, Czech Republic.

“It’s been an amazing year. It’s been a tough year but I’m so thankful. I never imagined ending the year like this,” she said.

The male rising star award was given to Ethiopia’s world 5, 000m silver medalist, Selemon Barega.