This year was spiced with award winning feats.
From world records on track and on the road, the year stands out as one of the most memorable in the history of Kenyan athletics.
Two-time Olympics and three-time world 1,500m champion Faith Kipyegon, not only excited the global athletics audience but also whet their appetite for the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.
What of the 42km running machine in the name of Kelvin Kiptum, who broke Eliud Kipchoge’s world record at the 45th Chicago Marathon last October?
The flying Kenyan girl was also named the Female Athlete of the Year-Track at the World Athletics gala in Monte Carlo in Monaco.
Nakuru Governor Susan Kihika and World 1500 metres record holder Faith Kipyegon exchange pleasantries when the governor hosted Kipyegon at the county headquarters in Nakuru on December 22, 2023.
Photo credit: Boniface Mwangi | Nation Media Group
Kipyegon broke the 1,500m record previously held by Ethiopia’s Genzebe Dibaba of 3:50:07, crossing the finish line in 3:49:11 at the Florence Diamond League in Italy on June 2.
A week later, she stunned the world by breaking the 5,000m record held by Ethiopia’s Letensebet Gidey of 14:06.62. Kipyegon clocked 14:05.20 at the Paris Diamond League in France on June 9. The record has since been taken by Ethiopia’s Gudaf Tsegay who clocked 14:00.21 at the Eugene Diamond League.
At the Monaco Diamond League, Kipyegon added another record to her name after she broke the One Mile time held by Dutch’s Sifan Hassan of 4:12.33 from the same venue in 2019.
From left: Nakuru Deputy Governor David Kones, Nakuru Governor Susan Kihika and World 1500 metres record holder Faith Kipyegon join traditional dancers in a jig at the county headquarters in Nakuru on December 22, 2023.
Photo credit: Boniface Mwangi | Nation Media Group
The Kenyan wonder-girl ran in a new best world time of 4:07.64 , five seconds inside the old record.
“Achieving the 1,500m record, which is my specialty, was one of my best because I tried in 2021 but I managed to run 3:51 before trying again in 2022 where I clocked 3:50, missing the record narrowly. This was indeed my year because I finally managed to hit the target,” she told Nation Sport.
Kipyegon, who comes from Kuresoi in Nakuru County, became the first Kenyan athlete in history to win a 1,500m and 5,000m double at the World Championships.
Double World Record Holder in 1,500m and one mile races Faith Kipyegon during an interview at their home in Eldoret, Uasin Gishu County on October 21, 2023
Photo credit: . Jared Nyataya | Nation Media Group
Her impressive performances came 12 years after Vivian Cheruiyot won the 2011 World Cross Country Championships in Punta Umbria in Spain and then won gold in 5,000m and 10,000m at the World Athletics Championships in Daegu, South Korea, that year.
The 5,000m record was a surprise for Kipyegon because she had no plans to break it.
She confesses that she just wanted to keep tabs on Ethiopia’s Gidey who was plotting to attack the record but the Nakuru girl ended up smashing the record.
Vastly talented Kiptum, who has run sub 2:01 in his three marathons, stole the show after he broke the men’s marathon world record, becoming the first man to run under two hours and one minute when he clocked 2:00:35 at the Chicago Marathon.
Kelvin Kiptum of Kenya celebrates after winning the 2023 Chicago Marathon professional men's division and setting a world record marathon time of 2:00.35 on October 08, 2023 in Chicago, Illinois.
Photo credit: Michael Reaves| AFP
Kiptum, who won the London Marathon, managed to lower Kipchoge’s time of 2:01:09 after a brilliant performance on the pan-cake flat Chicago Marathon course, aptly regarded as one of the fastest in the world.
The soft-spoken Kiptum, who hails from Chepsamo village in Chepkorio, Elgeyo Marakwet ran his debut marathon career in the 2022 Valencia Marathon.
On that fast course as well, he ran a course record 2:01:53 that was lowered by Ethiopia’s Sisay Lemma this year with a time of 2:01:35.
New marathon world record holder Kelvin Kiptum waves to fans in Iten town in Elgeyo Marakwet County, on his way from Eldoret International Airport in Uasin Gishu County on October 11, 2023.
Photo credit: Jared Nyataya | Nation Media Group
Kiptum joined the list of Kenyan men’s world marathon record breakers from Keiyo South. They are Wilson Kipsang, from Muskut village near the defunct Fluorspar Company and Dennis Kimetto, from Kapkitony village.
Kiptum is an uncle to Geoffrey Kamworor, a track, road and cross-country star who broke the world half marathon record in 2019.
It was a competitive season in the Wanda Diamond League series where three Kenyans featured won in the Eugene Finals.
Kipyegon clinched the Diamong League women’s 1,500m Final race with her compatriot Emmanuel Wanyonyi winning the 800m title while upcoming Simon Koech bagged the 3,000m steeplechase title.
Wanyonyi made his mark on the senior stage this year, securing silver in the 800m at the World Athletics Championships in Budapest, Hungary.
As well as his world medal win, the 2021 world Under-20 gold medallist Wanyonyi became a Diamond League champion in 2023, claiming the trophy in a personal best of 1:42.80.
He also won Diamond League races in Rabat, Paris and Xiamen and formed part of Kenya’s victorious world cross country mixed relay team.
The win by 2021 world Under-20 bronze medallist Simon Kiprop Koech was decisive. He triumphed in 8:06.26, a good four seconds ahead of Ethiopia’s World Under-20 silver medallist Samuel Firewu, who clocked 8:10.74. New Zealand’s George Beamish was third in 8:14.01 and Ethiopia’s Getnet Wale fourth in 8:14.96.
Simon Koech: 3,000m steeplechase
