Eliud Kipchoge Named 2018 Safaricom Sports Personality Of The Year

Olympic marathon champion and World marathon record holder Eliud Kipchoge is the 2018 Safaricom Sports Personality of the Year. 

 Described as the greatest marathoner of all times, Kipchoge was crowned Kenya 's finest sports personality during the Sports Personality of the Year Awards  (Soya) Gala held at Fort Jesus, Mombasa on Friday.

 Kipchoge outclassed World 3,000m steeplechase record holder Beatrice Chepkoech and Para athletes Jane Ndenga and Dickson Ondwari to the overall award.

The Olympic Marathon champion started the year strongly with victory at London Marathon in 2 hours, 04 minutes and 17 seconds on April 22, which was the 15th fastest time over the distance, having won at the same course in 2015 in 2:04:42 and 2016 in 2:03:05, missing the world record by eight seconds.

However, the moment Kipchoge was patiently and persistently been thirsting for came at Berlin Marathon when he broke the World Record by one minute and 18 seconds, setting news time of 2:01:39 in September 16 the Germany Capital City.

On his way to the WR and his third Berlin Marathon title, Kipchoge also broke the 30km World Record setting new times of 1:26:45.

In his category, he beat Commonwealth and Africa 1,500m champion Elijah Manangoi and Kenya Sevens rugby star for the Sportsman of the Year category.

Manang'oi, the World 1,500m champion started his season with a second place at the Kenyan Commonwealth Games trials in February, losing to World 1,500m silver medallist Timothy Cheruiyot.

However, just like at the World Championships last year, Manangoi would go on to beat his Cheruiyot to second place again and win his maiden Commonwealth Games title in Gold Coast, Australia, clocking  3:34.78 on April 14. Manangoi once again went for his first African title clocking a Championship Record time of 3:35.20 in Asaba, Nigeria on August 5.

The 25-year-old Managoi was sublime in his execution, clocking 3:40.00 to win his maiden World Cup also known as the IAAF Continental Cup in Ostrava, Czech on September 9 hence wrapping up another great year.

Ambaka was Kenya’s top try scorer this season with 31 tries from 155 points in 54 matches, feat that guided Shujaa to break the half-a-century-mark for the first time for 104 points. That saw Shujaa finish eighth in he 2017/2018 World Rugby Sevens Series.

Ambaka made his first Cap for the Kenya 15 rugby team, the Simbas this season, when he was named in Africa Gold Cup/ World Cup Qualifier squad to face Tunisia and he scored a brace as the Simbas mauled Tunisia 67-0 at RFUEA Grounds.

Ambaka also scored two tries despite Kenya Simbas going down 53-28 loss in the Africa Gold Cup decider. He also feature for Kenya Simbas at the other World Cup qualifier at Repechage in France. 

Chepkoech won the Sportwoman of the Year category beating Commonwealth and Africa 5,000m champion Hellen Obiri and Kenya Lionesses sevens rugby star Janet Okello.

Chepkoech has been phenomenal this season, settling for silver in 1,500m at Gold Coast Commonwealth Games in personal best of 4:03.09 before winning Africa title in a Championship Record time of 8:59.88 on August 5 in Asaba, Nigeria.

Chepkoech won four of her five Diamond League races this season with her victory in Monaco on July 20 producing a world record time of 8:44.32,hence making her the first woman to run under 8 minute and 50 seconds. She shattered Bahrain Ruth Jebet’s previous record of 8:52.78 by massive nine seconds.

Obiri is equally favoured to carry the day having started the year strongly. She won the Commonwealth Games 5,000m title in Gold Coast in 15:13.11 in April and went on to win the National Championships title in 15:09.82 in June to set the stage for her maiden Africa title in 15:47.18 last August. The 28-year-old claimed her first Diamond League Trophy in 3,000m/5,000m after she won the final 5,000m race in Zurich in 14:38.39.

Jane Ndenga won Sportswoman with a Disability Award, beating  Michelle Kaindi and Caroline Wanjira while Ondwari edged out Peter Munuve and Daniel Kiptum for the men's award.

World Under-20 5,000m Edward Zakayo was declared the Most Promising male athlete while tennis prodigy Angela Okutoyi claimed women's Most Promising accolades.

Awards:

Hall of Fame.

-Mohammed Kheri.
-Rose Tata-Muya.
Community Hero.
-Lawrence Karanja

School Team of the Year-Girls
1. Kwale Girls Football team
2.Trans Nzoia Mixed hockey team 
3. Kwanthanze Girls volley ball

School Team of the Year
1. Laiser Hill School 15s rugby 
2. Upper Hill School sevens rugby
3. St. Anthony Kitale hockey

Coach o the Year-  School
1. Mukasa Amboko- Kwale Girls.
2. Justin Kigwari-volleyball Kwanthanze
3. Kevin Lugalia hockey- At Anthony Kitale

Most of outstanding player of the year- girl
1. Elizabeth Kioko -football
2. Roseline Asumwa-tennis
3. Esther Mutinda- volleyball 

Most outstanding player of the Year-boy
1. Albert Njogu- tennis
2. Shadrack Kiptoo- volleyball 
3. Emmanuel Ndonga-swimming 

Sports Federation of the Year.
1. Kenya Secondary Schools Sports Association 
2. Athletics Kenya 
3 Football Kenya Federation

Coach of the year Award
1. Rosemary Owino 
2. Kevin Wambua
3. Jos Openda-Telkom hockey 

Most Promising-Girl
1. Angela Okutoyi-tennis
2.Beatrice  Chebet -athletics 
3. Maria Brunhlner- swimming 

Most Promising-Boy
1. Edward Zakayo
2. Rhonex Kipruto
3. Carlos Ochieng- Judo

Sports team.of the  Year- women
1. Telkom Kenya
2. Kenya Lionesses- rugby
3. Equity Bank- basketball 

Sports team of the Year- men
1. Harambee Stars 
2. Gor Mahia
3. Davis Cup team  

Sportswomen Living with a Disability
1. Jane Ndenga
2. Michelle Kaindi
3. Caroline Wanjira

Sportsman Living with a Disability 
1. Dickson Ondwari-handball
2. Peter Munuve-Wheelchair tennis
3. Daniel Kiptum- athletics

Sportswoman of the Year
1. Beatrice Chepkoech-athletics 
2. Hellen Obiri-athletics
3. Janet Okello-  rugby 

 Sportsman of the Yeart
1.  Eliud Kipchoge- athletics 
2. Elijah Manang'oi  Athletics 
3. William Ambaka - rugby

Sports Personality of the Year 
1. Eliud Kipchoge.