Eliud Kipchoge Crowned the 2019 Safaricom Sports Personality of the Year

 Marathon world record holder Eliud Kipchoge has been crowned the overall Safaricom Sports Personality of the Year at the 16^th edition of the awards held at Mombasa Sports Club.

Kipchoge, who last year became the first person in the world to run forty two kilometres  in under two  hours, beat women’s world 5,00 metres champion Hellen Obiri and Paralympian Samuel Mushai to retain the annual award.

In the Sportswoman of the Year category, Hellen Obiri scooped the award after beating marathon world record holder Brigid Kosgei and IAAF Athletics champion Ruth Chepngetich.

“I am pleased to be honoured the 2019 Safaricom Sports Personality of the Year. This is the second year in a row that I am being recognized and I can’t take this for granted,” said Eliud Kipchoge, 2019 Sports Personality of the Year.

In the other categories, the national women’s volleyball team Malkia Strikers scooped the Women Sports Team of the Year Award with Kenya Lionesses (rugby) and Harambee Starlets (football) emerging second and third respectively. In the men’s category, KCB RFC trumped Morans (basketball) and Bandari FC (football) to win the award.

National women’s volleyball team coach Paul Bitok was crowned the Coach of the Year after beating David Ouma of the Harambee Starlets, Carey Odhiambo of Morans and Curtis Olago of KCB RFC.

This is the sixteenth  year  that Safaricom was the title sponsor of the Sports Personality of the Year Awards (SOYA), which has continued to recognize  outstanding talents of Kenya’s sports personalities.