Kenyan marathon legend Eliud Kipchoge has been honored with the prestigious Princess of Asturias Award for sports for the year 2023. The Spanish foundation responsible for organizing the awards made the announcement recently.
Kipchoge, who has already clinched Olympic gold medals in the marathon in 2016 and 2020, along with being the 5,000-meter world champion in 2003, has been hailed as “a legend in world athletics and the greatest marathon runner of all time” by the foundation’s panel of judges.
Renowned for his strategic brilliance and unwavering focus during races, Kipchoge has triumphed in four major marathons, including London and Berlin, a remarkable four times each.
Furthermore, he currently holds the world record in the marathon with a phenomenal time of 2 hours, 1 minute, and 9 seconds, achieved in Berlin last year, surpassing his own previous record by 30 seconds set in 2018.
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In response to receiving the award, Kipchoge expressed his gratitude and called it an “absolute honor.” He also shared his aspirations to leave a lasting legacy through running, emphasizing that a running world fosters peace, happiness, and good health.
It is worth noting that Kipchoge is the only athlete in history to complete a marathon in under two hours, achieving a time of 1 hour, 59 minutes, and 40 seconds in Vienna in 2019, although it was not officially recognized due to the race’s special conditions and outside assistance provided.
The Asturias Award for sports carries a prize of 50,000 euros ($54,000) and is one of eight distinguished awards presented annually by the foundation, recognizing excellence in fields such as arts, communication, scientific research, and literature. Last year, the sports award went to the Olympic Refugee Foundation and the refugee Olympics team.
Considered one of the most significant accolades in the Spanish-speaking world, the award ceremony takes place each autumn in the northern Spanish city of Oviedo. Eliud Kipchoge’s triumph further solidifies his status as a global sporting icon and a true inspiration to athletes around the world.
