Afrigather Kenyan marathon specialist Eliud Kipchoge has received the Princess of Asturias Award for sports activities for 2023 the Spanish basis that organizes the prizes introduced.
Kipchoge, 38, who took Olympic gold medals within the marathon in 2016 and 2020 and was world 5,000 meters champion in 2003 “is taken into account a legend in world athletics and the perfect marathon runner of all time,” the muse’s panel of judges mentioned in an announcement Thursday (Might 18).
The inspiration highlighted that he’s often called “the thinker” for his technique and focus in operating. Kipchoge has received in 10 editions of 4 of the most important marathons, together with London and Berlin 4 instances every.
He’s the present Olympic marathon champion and holds the world document for the self-discipline, with a time of two hours, 1 minute, 9 seconds set in Berlin final 12 months. That timing lowered by 30 seconds the document he himself had set in 2018.
In an announcement from Kipchoge forwarded by the muse after the announcement, he mentioned it was an “absolute honor” to obtain the award.
“It motivates me in my objective to depart a legacy on this world via operating, since a operating world is a extra peaceable world, a happier world and a extra wholesome world,” he mentioned.
Kipchoge is the one athlete in historical past who has run a marathon in lower than two hours, though the timing of 1:59:40 set in Vienna in 2019 is not acknowledged formally because the race was organized so exterior support may very well be used to assist him.
The 50,000-euro award ($54,000) is one among eight prizes awarded for excellent work in areas corresponding to the humanities, communication, scientific analysis and literature. They’re handed out yearly by the muse.
The Olympic Refugee Basis and the refugee Olympics staff received the sports activities award in 2022.
The prizes are among the many most essential within the Spanish-speaking world. The award ceremony is held every fall within the northern Spanish metropolis of Oviedo.
