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The accolades keep coming for the double Olympic and world champion following her heroics in Florence and Paris Diamond League meetings
Double world record holder Faith Kipyegon is the Sports Personality of the month of June 2023.
The middle-distance runner shattered two world records in a one week, during the month of June, a feat that no sports personality would match.
She set the women’s 1,500 metres world record, clocking 3:49.11 at the third Diamond League meeting of the season in Florence, Italy on June 2.
The Kenyan athlete, winner of the last two Olympic 1,500m golds and the 2017 and 2022 world titles, bettered the previous mark of 3:50.07 set by Ethiopia’s Genzebe Dibaba in 2015.
On the finish line, Kipyegon finished well ahead of Britain’s second-placed Laura Muir and the Australian Jessica Hull in third, with Kipyegon’s rivals crowding around to congratulate her after the race.
She then surprised all in Paris a week later on June 9 when she shattered the 5,000m of 14:06.62 set by Ethiopian Letesenbet Gidey in 2020.
Kipyegon’s second world record came as a surprise as it was her first race over the distance since 2015 and the third ever.
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Racing in a thrilling duel with Letesenbet at the Paris Diamond League, she smashed her old PB (14:31.95) and sliced 1.42 seconds off that world record with a time of 14:05.20.
Kipyegon becomes the second athlete after Angela Okutoyi to win the SJAK award thrice.
And in winning the June trophy, Kipyegon who trains in Kaptagat, took home a personalised trophy and an LG dishwasher courtesy of title sponsors LG Electronic East Africa.
“I’m so happy to be among the few athletes to win this award more than twice,” said Kipyegon.
“It's always good to see corporate entities acknowledge the good work of athletes. I'm thankful to LG for their efforts to whip up the enthusiasm of sportsmen and women in this country. The win in Florence boosted my confidence levels and I feel I have to continue pushing for better track limits.”
To win the coveted monthly trophy, Kipyegon beat five other nominees among them Commonwealth Games champion Beatrice Chebet who produced a scintillating run to clinch the 3,000m title at the Oslo Diamond League in eight minutes, 25.01 seconds, which also counted as the latter's new personal best and world leading time.
Other nominees for June were Carl Tundo and McRae Kimathi for their WRC2 and WRC3 finishes on WRC Safari Rally, Moses Shumah for scoring Harambee Stars’ solitary goal at the Four Nations Tournament, Emma Wangila Nekesa for being the only African wrestler and Kenyan to have qualified for the World Beach Games in Indonesia after being ranked at position eight globally during the Singapore beach series.
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