NAIROBI, Kenya, April 9, 2025 – Triple Olympic champion Faith Kipyegon and her ‘double’ counterpart, Beatrice Chebet, will face off for this year’s Sportsperson of the Year Awards (SOYA).
The two are among five nominees in the sportswoman of the year category, which also includes world marathon record holder Ruth Chepng’etich, Boston Marathon champion Hellen Obiri and Olympic 3000m steeplechase bronze medalist Faith Cherotich.
Last year, Chebet enjoyed her most successful season to date, which included two world records, two Olympics titles and a successful defence of the World Cross Country crown.
It all began in Belgrade, Serbia where she clocked 31:05 to successfully retain the title she won a year earlier in Bathurst, Australia.
She then set a world record of 28:54.14 in the women’s 10,000m at the Prefontaine Diamond League in Oregon, United States on May 25.
Chebet then wrote her name in history books when she clocked 30:43.25 to win the women’s 10,000m at the Paris Olympics — becoming the first Kenyan runner to win the race since it was introduced to the quadrennial games in 1988.
Her historic feat came after she had won the women’s 5000m at the same games clocking 14:28.56 to win the title last won by Vivian Cheruiyot in 2016 in Rio.
Legacy of Kipyegon
At the same time, Kipyegon recovered from a hamstring injury at the start of the season to get into her stride.
She warmed up for the Paris Olympics with a world record in the ‘city of love’ — clocking 3:49.04 to win the women’s 1500m at the Paris Diamond League.
Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters
Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox
The 31-year-old then became the first athlete in the history of the women’s 1500m to win three consecutive Olympic titles, after clocking 3:51.29 at the games.
This, to add to the silver she had earlier clinched in the women’s 5000m where she timed 14:29.60.
Equally staking her claim to the SOYA top gong is Chepng’etich who became the first-ever female marathoner to run a sub-2:10 when she clocked a world record of 2:09:56 at the Chicago Marathon in October.
The 2019 World champion also won the Buenos Aires Half Marathon after clocking 1:05:58.
Meanwhile, Obiri continued her glamorous start to life as a marathoner when she timed 2:22:37 to successfully defend her Boston Marathon title in April.
She then added to her Olympics medal collection with bronze in Paris, clocking 2:23:10 for third place.
On her first-ever Olympics appearance, youngster Cherotich showed exactly why she is one to watch when she held her own among more experienced runners to bag bronze in the women’s 3000m steeplechase.
The 20-year-old clocked 8:55.15 to finish third — adding to the bronze she won a year earlier at the World Championships in Budapest.
The awards are slated for slated for April 16 at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC).
