Athletics Kenya nominated two-time Olympic champion Eliud Kipchoge for the position of Athlete Representative at the National Olympic committee of Kenya. Kipchoge has built a stellar athletics career, spanning over two decades.
He replaces Humphery Kayange whose term ends on April 24, 2025.
He has been to five Olympic Games, the most of any Kenyan in history, winning four medals – two of them marathon gold from the 2016 and 2020 Games.
Beyond the Olympics, Kipchoge has been a great ambassador of Kenyan athletics, flying the country’s flag high on the track, cross country and road races around the world and achieving numerous accolades over the years.
Kipchoge’s dedication, perseverance, and sportsmanship have made him a role model for aspiring athletes not just in Kenya but globally.
“Eliud Kipchoge is not just an incredible athlete, he is a beacon of athletics in our country and that is why we were honoured to nominate him for the position,” Athletics Kenya president Lt. Gen (Rtd) Jack Tuwei said.
“His achievements, from his early success in track to becoming the only person to run a marathon in under two hours, are a testament to his discipline and unwavering commitment.”
“Beyond the sport, his efforts to enhance education through the establishment of a library and being an ambassador demonstrate his desire to contribute to the greater good in society. We believe this holistic approach makes him an ideal candidate for the athlete representative role,” he added.
Kipchoge has demonstrated a deep commitment to athlete welfare, education and advocacy for clean sport, through different avenues and such commitment combined with an understanding of the challenges sports men and women face places him as a strong candidate to advocate for athletes’ rights within the National Olympic committee of Kenya.
“I want to include every athlete in every federation for his or her own voice or to be heard in matters education, in matters empowerment, in matters holistic living,” said Kipchoge.
“I think this the right time, because I’ve been in sport for more than 20 years, and I need to give back to sport.”
While reflecting on his journey Kipchoge also underlined the crucial role federations play in proving a platform for athletes to succeed.
“I come from athletics, Kenya and Athletics Kenya has been the best system to expose my career and to expose the careers of other people. I want to tell all other federations to emulate what Athletics Kenya has been doing in exposing athlete careers.”
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