Uasin Gishu county government will dedicate a street in Eldoret town in Eliud Kipchoge’s name in honour of the world’s greatest marathoner for his remarkable victory and unwavering commitment to elevating Kenya’s pride through athletics.
In a tweet, Governor Jonathan Chelilim Bii said the county was immensely proud of Eliud Kipchoge’s fifth-time Berlin marathon victory, “a monumental achievement for our beloved country.”
Kipchoge clocked 2:03:42 to win the Berlin Marathon for the fifth time on Sunday despite missing breaking his own 2: 01: 09 world record.
Hundreds of athletics enthusiasts and diehard supporters watched the race on a big screen at the Eldoret-Iten and Uganda road junction led by the governor and Ambassador Sebastian Groth of the Federal Republic of Germany to Kenya.
Berlin marathon debutants, Vincent Kipkemboi of Kenya and Ethiopia’s Tadese Takele came in second and third timing 2:03:14 and 2:03:24 respectively
In the women’s race Ethiopia’s Tigst Assefa shattered Kenya’s Brigid Kosgei’s record of 2:14:04 set in 2019 by romping home in a time of 2:11.53 to shed off the old record by 2.11.
Kenya’s Sheila Chepkirui settled for the second spot clocking 2:17:29 while another Ethiopian Tigist Abayechar clocked 2:18:51 for third position.
Governor Bii said as a county of champions, the spirit of sportsmanship was woven into ‘our DNA’, and appreciated the residents for turning out in large numbers to cheer the Kenyan victors at the Berlin Marathon 2023.
By Kiptanui Cherono
