FILE PHOTO: Kenya’s Eliud Kipchoge, the marathon world record holder, celebrates after a successful attempt to run a marathon in under two hours in Vienna, Austria, October 12, 2019. REUTERS/Leonhard Foeger
(Reuters) – Kenyan Eluid Kipchoge, who on Saturday became the first man to run a marathon in less than two hours, is one of 11 nominees for the IAAF male athlete of the year, athletics’ governing body said on Monday.
Kipchoge, who finished a special marathon in Vienna in one hour, 59 minutes and 40 seconds that will not be recognized for world record purposes, also was nominated for his London Marathon course record.
Ten winners from the recent world athletics championships in Doha also are under consideration for the global honor: Americans Donovan Brazier (800m), Christian Coleman (100m), Sam Kendricks (pole vault), Noah Lyles (200m), Christian Taylor (triple jump).
Also, Uganda’s Joshua Cheptegei (10,000m, world cross country title), Kenya’s Timothy Cheruyiot (1,500m), Bahamas’ Steven Gardiner (400m), Sweden’s Daniel Stahl (discus) and Norway’s Karsten Warholm (400m hurdles).
Female nominees will be announced on Tuesday.
Fans may vote online on the IAAF’s social media platforms.
Athletes of the year will be announced live on stage at the World Athletics Awards 2019 in November.
Reporting by Gene Cherry in Salvo, North Carolina; Editing by Christian Radnedge