Ruth Chepngetich named Sports Personality of the month of March

World Marathon Champion Ruth Chepngetich has been named the LG/Sports Journalists Association of Kenya (SJAK) Sports personality for the month of March.

The 27-year-old beat stiff competition from other star nominees in the eventful month to win the coveted award for the second time following her stellar performance in Japan’s Nagoya Marathon.

Chepngetich was all smiles and here’s what she had to say: “It’s such a great feeling being acknowledged for your performance in a very competitive space. I want to become the first ever personality to win this award for the third time,” Chepngetich, who has now won the award twice said.

For her efforts she was awarded with an LG Solardom Oven and a trophy engraved with her name.

The soft-spoken Chepngetich bossed the streets of Japan on March 13 to win the Nagoya Women’s Marathon clocking 2:17.18, her time, the second-fastest ever in a women’s-only marathon, behind Mary Keitany’s world record of 2:17.01.

This is her second award, having bagged the April 2021 gong following her exploits at the Istanbul Half Marathon in a new World Record of 1:04:02.

For the March 2022 award, Chepngetich who has since joined Kenya Prisons and is looking to defend her world marathon titlelater in Oregon pipped among others familiar foe in Olympics silver medalist Brigid Kosgei who won the Tokyo Marathon in 2:16:02, the third fastest women’s marathon time.

Eliud Kipchoge, who won the Tokyo Marathon title for the first time was also among the nominees as well as para-athlete Rodgers Kiprop who won the T11 5000m gold, Nancy Chelagatwho won the T11 1500m gold.

Others were World Under-20 bronze medalist Noah Kibet, who raced to a silver in 800m at the World Indoor Championships, Kenya Open amateur winner Njoroge Kibugu, Gathimba who won a bronze medal at the World Race Walking Team Championships and Kabras Sugar’s Jone Kubu who guided hisside to clinching the Kenyan Cup title

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