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World records bring $35,000, house for Kenya’s Kipyegon

Published:Wednesday | June 14, 2023 | 2:17 AM
Faith Kipyegon, of Kenya, crosses the finish line to win the women’s 5000 metres, setting a new world record during the Meeting de Paris Diamond League athletics meet in Paris on Friday.
AP
Faith Kipyegon, of Kenya, crosses the finish line to win the women’s 5000 metres, setting a new world record during the Meeting de Paris Diamond League athletics meet in Paris on Friday.

NAIROBI, Kenya (AP):

DISTANCE RUNNER Faith Kipyegon was given US$35,000 and a house by Kenyan President William Ruto yesterday as a reward for breaking two world records in the space of a week.

Kipyegon, who met with Ruto at the president’s office, said she would now fulfil a promise she had made to buy her father a new car.

The 29-year-old Kipyegon, a two-time Olympic champion in the 1500 metres, set a new 1500 world record in Florence, Italy, on June 2 when she broke the eight-year-old mark set by Genzebe Dibaba of Ethiopia. Kipyegon became the first woman to go under 3 minutes, 50 seconds with her 3:49.11.

She broke the 5,000 metres record last Friday at the Paris Diamond League meet by clocking 14:05.20, winning that race ahead of former world record-holder Letesenbet Gidey of Ethiopia.

“Faith has made Kenya incredibly proud,” Ruto said. “She stands as a shining model of consistency, discipline, hard work, as well as family. Faith is a great Kenyan woman – a mother, a wife and a world champion rolled into one.”

Ruto pledged that the Kenyan government will also give similar rewards to future world-record breakers.