World Marathon record holder, Ruth Chepngetich has been named the LG/SJAK Sports Personality of the Month (SPOM) for October 2024 following her exploits at the 46th edition of the Chicago Marathon in the USA on October 13, where she ran 2:09.56 breaking the one-year record of 2:11.53 set by Tigst Assefa from Ethiopia by almost two minutes.
Chepngetich, who arrived in Chicago with a personal best of 2:14.18 in the 42km race, is the first woman to complete the distance in under 2:10. She is also the first woman to win the Chicago Marathon three times and has been nominated for the women’s world athlete of the year award.
Her outstanding performance in Chicago saw her win the coveted SPOM for the third time after April 2021 and March 2022. Also competing for the award was Harambee Junior Starlets striker Lorna Faith Wasike, who was named the Player of the Match when Kenya stunned Mexico 2-1 at the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in the Dominican Republic on October 24.
Other nominees included Albania-based central midfielder Kevin Wangaya; highly-rated forward Aldrine Kibet of Spains Nastic Soccer Academy; Kakamega Homeboyz goalkeeper Ibrahim Wanzala, and AFC Leopards right winger Hassan Beja. Kenya Sevens speedsters Patrick Odongo and Ben Salem also made the nominations for their inspirational performance as the national team rallied to defend the Safari Sevens title.
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All-rounder Rakep Patel, who was Kenya’s best player in the 2024Men’s Cricket World Cup Challenge League “A”, as well as the first African woman to win the overall Golden Trail World Series title, Joyce Njeru, were also nominated alongside the Most Valuable Player at the Road to Basketball Africa League Derrick Ogechi and Kapsokwony Athletics Kenya Cross Country winner Maureen Jepkoech.
Speaking during awards ceremony, LG Electronics EA MD, Dong Wan Lee, underscored the essence of celebrating Kenya’s world-beating sports personalities.
“At LG Electronics, we are committed to the empowerment of the communities in which we operate, and the SPOM Award has over the last decade been a key avenue for us to showcase to upcoming generations the importance of talent recognition.”
“We celebrate people like Chepngetich as well as the many other talented sports personalities that were nominated.”
SJAK President James Waindi also commended Chepngetich for her historic performance expressing his joy that Kenya now holds both the men’s and women’s marathon world records.