Kenyan track stars Faith Kipyegon and Beatrice Chebet have each received KSh 5 million from the Ministry of Youth Affairs, Creative Economy and Sports in recognition of their record-breaking performances at the Prefontaine Classic in Eugene, Oregon.
Kipyegon shattered the 1500m world record, clocking 3:48.68, while Chebet made history as the first woman ever to run the 5000m under 14 minutes, finishing in 13:58.06. Both events were part of the prestigious Diamond League series.
The cash awards were presented during a ceremony held by the Ministry to honour the two athletes for their extraordinary achievements on the global stage.
“It was tough, but I am so proud of what I’ve done, and I’m going to keep on trying, dreaming, and pursuing big goals,” said Kipyegon, whose performance broke the previous 1500m world records set in 2023 and 2024.
Her run comes after a strong showing in Paris earlier this year, where she narrowly missed running a sub-four-minute mile, clocking a personal best of 4:06.42.
Kipyegon, a two-time Olympic champion, used the moment to inspire young women in sport:
“I want to show the world, and especially women, that you have to dare to try.”
Chebet, the reigning Olympic champion in both the 5,000m and 10,000m events, expressed joy after claiming the record previously held by Ethiopia’s Gudaf Tsegay.
“When I was coming here to Eugene, I was coming to prepare to run a world record… I said: ‘If Faith is trying, why not me?’ And today, I’m so happy because I’ve achieved being the first woman to run under 14,” she said.
The Ministry praised the athletes for putting Kenya on the global athletics map once again, highlighting their success as a testament to the nation’s enduring dominance in long-distance running.
