Ugandan long distance runners Joshua Cheptegei and Jacob Kiplimo are among the 10 male athletes nominated/shortlisted for the Male World Athlete Of The Year Award.
The pair that hail from the Eastern District of Kapchorwa have had a great year, smashing five combined world records and are now in the mix to receive the most prestigious award in World Athletics.
This year alone, Cheptegei broke three World Records whilst Kiplimo broke two and the track stars deserve to be in the list and possibly even claim the gong.
In October, Cheptegei, 23, posted a winning time of 26:11.02 at the NN Valencia World Record Day to break the 10,000m world record.
In August, Cheptegei broke Kenenisa Bekele (Ethiopia) record by about two seconds with a winning time of 12 minutes 35.36 seconds to claim a career third world title. Bekele’s winning time was 12:37.35 at the Monaco Diamond League.
In February this year, Cheptegei broke the 5km road world record still in Monaco. This was his second world record.
However, his maiden world record was when he won the 10,000m world title in Doha last year.
For Kiplimo, 19, he finds himself on the list after smashing a pair of World Records, that is; World Half Marathon Title in October in Poland and 3000m World Record in Rome in September.
In Rome, Kiplimo posted a winning time of 12:48.63 while clocking 58: 48 at the World Half Marathon.
However, in the ladies category of awards, there is no Ugandan athlete though neighbors Kenya have three representatives.
Female nominees for World Athlete of the Year
Femke Bol (Netherlands), Letesenbet Gidey (Ethiopia), Sifan Hassan (Netherlands), Peres Jepchirchir (Kenya), Faith Kipyegon (Kenya), Laura Muir (Great Britain), Hellen Obiri (Kenya), Yulimar Rojas (Venezuela), Elaine Thompson-Herah (Jamaica), Ababel Yeshaneh (Ethiopia)
Male nominees for World Athlete of the Year
Donavan Brazier (USA), Joshua Cheptegei (Uganda), Timothy Cheruiyot (Kenya), Ryan Crouser (USA), Armand Duplantis (Sweden), Jacob Kiplimo (Uganda), Noah Lyles (USA), Daniel Stahl (Sweden), Johannes Vetter (Germany), Karsten Warholm (Norway).
