Kenya’s world-beating athletes Faith Kipyegon and Beatrice Chebet have been awarded Sh5 million each by the government in recognition of their sensational world record performances at the Prefontaine Classic in Eugene, Oregon.
Sports Cabinet Secretary Salim Mvurya presented the awards under the government’s elite reward scheme, which honours athletes who set global records or achieve major international victories. He praised the two runners for their unwavering dedication and for “flying the Kenyan flag high on the international stage.”
Faith Kipyegon made headlines by smashing her own world record in the women’s 1500m, clocking an astonishing 3 minutes 48.68 seconds an improvement of 0.36 seconds. Her feat came just days after narrowly missing a sub-four-minute mile, once again cementing her dominance in middle-distance running.
Beatrice Chebet, on the other hand, stunned the athletics world by breaking the women’s 5,000m world record with a time of 13:58.06. She became the first woman in history to run under 14 minutes for the distance on the track, shaving over two seconds off the previous record set by Ethiopia’s Gudaf Tsegay at the same venue two years ago.
President William Ruto led national tributes, describing their achievements as “breathtaking and inspirational.” He lauded Kipyegon for surpassing her own record and hailed Chebet for making history in the 5,000m.
“We salute Faith Kipyegon and Beatrice Chebet for setting new world records… Hats off to Ms Chebet for becoming the first woman in history to run under 14 minutes,” Ruto stated.
Other leaders also joined in the celebrations, including Homa Bay Governor Gladys Wanga, who praised Kipyegon’s consistency and legendary status.
This recognition comes at a pivotal time as Kenya intensifies its preparations for the 2025 World Athletics Championships and the 2028 Olympic Games. The government has promised more structured support for elite runners, signalling a renewed focus on bolstering Kenya’s dominance in athletics on the global stage.
