Kiptum, Kipyegon crowned Africa’s best athletes

Kipyegon took the world by the storm this year after achieving three world records over 1500m, 5000m and one mile while also clinching two gold medals at the World Championships in Budapest.

Kipyegon beat Ethiopian duo of Tigist Assefa and Gudaf Tsegay to second and third place in the awards announced by the Confederation of African Athletics (CAA).

Assefa obliterated the women’s world record with a blistering run of 2:11;53 at the Berlin Marathon while her compatriot Tsegay clinched gold in the women’s 10,000m at the World Championships before lowering Kipyegon’s world record over 5000m at the Diamond League final in Oregon, USA.

On his part, Kiptum took the men’s crown after a fantastic season that saw him win the London Marathon before smashing the men’s marathon world record after running two hours and 35 seconds in Chicago.

In what was his third race over the distance, Kiptum became the first man to dip under two hours and one minute in a competitive race.

Olympic and world 30000m steeplechase champion Soufiane El Bakkali of Morocco was ranked second best athlete in the continent with Hugues Fabrice Zango of Burkina Faso coming home third after claiming gold in Budapest.

Kipyegon and Kiptum were recently crowned world best athletes over track and road running respectively in the World Athletics awards held last week in Monaco, France.