FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Athens Marathon. The Authentic on Sunday
World Champions Lelisa Desisa and Ruth Chepngetich
named Marathon Runners of the Year
This year's World Marathon Champions Lelisa Desisa and Ruth Chepngetich are
the Marathon Runners of the Year. The runners from Ethiopia and Kenya
respectively were honoured at the AIMS Best Marathon Runner (BMR) Gala in
Athens tonight. The Gala, which was shown live on Greek TV, was staged by
the Association of International Marathons and Distance Races (AIMS) and
the Hellenic Athletics Federation, SEGAS. On Sunday the 37th edition of the
"The Athens Marathon. The Authentic" will take place on the original course
with a record field of 20,000 runners.
Three further distinctions were awarded by AIMS on Friday evening in
Athens: the French journalist Alain Lunzenfichter, for a long time a
reporter with the sports newspaper L'Équipe, received the AIMS Lifetime
Achievement Award. The AIMS Green Award went to the Xiamen Marathon in
China and the Harmony Geneva Marathon for UNICEF received the AIMS Social
Award.
Two outstanding personalities in the sport of marathon running were also
honoured at the Gala on Friday evening: Britain's Ron Hill and Stefano
Baldini of Italy. Hill won the 1969 European title on the Athens course and
Baldini took the Olympic title here in 2004. 15 years after his Olympic
triumph, the Italian will be running the Athens Marathon once again. "I
hope I can enjoy the race since Athens is a very special place for me,"
said Stefano Baldini.
"We are honoured to have the best marathon runners in the world here in
Athens, where the marathon as well as the Olympic Games of the modern era
began, and honour them at the Gala," explained the president of the
Hellenic Athletics Federation (SEGAS) Kostas Panagopoulos. The AIMS
president, Paco Borao from Spain, spoke in referring to both winners:
"No-one will be in any doubt that these two World champions, who won in
extreme weather conditions in Doha, deserve to be the Best Marathon
Runners."
Lelisa Desisa is the first Ethiopian to have received this award which was
first made in 2013. The most recent recipient was Kenya's Olympic champion
and world record holder Eliud Kipchoge who was awarded the prize for the
last four years in succession. During the relevant period for the AIMS Best
Marathon Runner, Lelisa Desisa won the New York Marathon in November 2018,
running an impressive 2:05:59 on the difficult course. After a second place
in Boston in April the 29-year-old Ethiopian won the World Championships
marathon gold in Doha, Qatar a month ago. "The Olympic marathon in 2020 is
my dream," said Lelisa Desisa. "I want to follow in the footsteps of Abebe
Bikila and win the gold. I hope I can inspire a new generation of young
athletes by my success."
Ruth Chepngetich established herself among the world's best marathon
runners with two outstanding victories: First she took the Istanbul
Marathon in November 2018 with 2:18:35 then became the third fastest woman
ever at that time when she won in Dubai in January with 2:17:08. At the end
of September the 25 year-old took the World Championship title in Doha in
extreme weather conditions. "It is a great honour to receive this award in
Athens, where the marathon was born. This is a lifetime event in my
career," said Ruth Chepngetich. Asked about the world record, which was
recently lowered to 2:14:04 by fellow-Kenyan Brigid Kosgei the BMR winner
said: "I believe it is possible for me too to break the world record if I
train accordingly."
Among the distinguished international guests from Sport, Politics and
Culture at the Gala on Friday evening in Athens was Greece's Minister for
Development and Investment, Adonis Georgiadis. "I ran the marathon myself
last year and have to say, it was a once in a lifetime experience. I
recommend everyone to run this race. The Athens Marathon stands for fun,
happiness and energy," added the Minister.
AIMS Award Winners
Best Marathon Runner of the Year
Men:
2019 Lelisa Desisa (ETH)
2018 Eliud Kipchoge (KEN)
2017 Eliud Kipchoge (KEN)
2016 Eliud Kipchoge (KEN)
2015 Eliud Kipchoge (KEN)
2014 Dennis Kimetto (KEN)
2013 Wilson Kipsang (KEN)
Women:
2019 Ruth Chepngetich (KEN)
2018 Gladys Cherono (KEN)
2017 Mary Keitany (KEN)
2016 Jemima Sumgong (KEN)
2015 Mare Dibaba (ETH)
2014 Florence Kiplagat (KEN)
2013 Edna Kiplagat (KEN)
Lifetime Achievement Award
2019 Alain Lunzenfichter (FRA)
2018 Horst Milde (GER)
Hiroaki Chosa (JPN)
2017 Rosa Mota (POR)
2016 Haile Gebrselassie (ETH)
2015 Frank Shorter (USA)
2014 George Hirsch (USA)
2013 Ingrid Kristiansen (NOR)
More information is available at: www.athensauthenticmarathon.org
###
|
