New York Marathon champion Mary Keitany and World Under-20 10,000m champion Rhonex Kipruto have been nominated for the 2018 New York Road Runners Pro Performer of the year awards.
The two will battle it out with five other athletes with the winners set to de decided through voting from the public that ends on Thursday, December 13.
The finalists were chosen based on their performances in the road races during the year which include United Airlines New York City Half, Wanamaker Mile at the NYRR Millrose Games, UAE Healthy Kidney 10K, New York Mini 10K, New Balance 5th Avenue Mile, Abbot Dash to the Finish Line 5K and USATF 5K Championships and TCS New York City Marathon.
Keitany ran a brilliant race winning her fourth New York Marathon title clocking 2:22:48, the second fastest time in women’s marathon in US.
Keitany lost last year’s race by 61 seconds, coming in second place after three straight marathon victories in 2014, 2015 and 2016.
Keitany said she is honoured once again to be chosen among the best athletes who made history in the US
“I’m delighted once again to be among the finalists in the New York Road Runners Pro Performer of the year awards. I want to ask Kenyans to spend some few seconds and vote for me,” said the Iten-based athlete.
Kipruto on his part, ran the fastest time in UAE Healthy Kidney 10km, where he clocked 27:08 smashing a previous record of 27:35 held by Leonard Komon.
In his NYRR race debut, Kipruto finished 11 seconds ahead of compatriot Mathew Kimeli, who was second with a time of 27:19, while Ethiopia’s Teshome Mekonen was third in 28:10.
Kipruto revealed he is happy to have been recognized for his good performance and urged the public to start voting for him.
“It’s a competitive task and I call upon Kenyans and my fans to tart voting for me because we have one week before the process is closed,” Kipruto told Nation Sport via phone from Paris.
Kipruto, who had been nominated for the Male Rising Star award during the 2018 IAAF awards, was beaten by pole vaulter Armand Duplantis from Sweden.
The two Kenyans will be battle out it against Ethiopia’s Buze Diriba, Daniel Romanchuk, Susannah Scaroni, Jenny Simpson and Ben True all from USA.