The Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT) has bestowed a Honorary Degree of Humane Letters upon Kenya's marathon legend Eliud Kipchoge.

The renowned athlete, who has made humanitarian and philanthropic contributions to society, was honoured at the university's 41st graduation ceremony on Friday, December 1.

The 2023 ceremony saw 4775 candidates graduate, where 513 received diploma certificates, 3,674 bachelor's degree certificates, 145 postgraduate diploma certificates, 392 master's degree certificates, and 50 doctoral degree

The Doctor of Human Letters (L.H.D) is one of the four doctorate honors given to individuals who have made significant contributions to society, without necessarily attending class and writing a thesis.

Kipchoge was awarded for his service to society, and unparalleled achievements in athletics.

In 2019, he ran for 1:59:50, breaking a world record in Vienna, for being the first human to run a marathon in less than two hours, and thus came the phrase 'no human is limited .' 

In 2003, Kipchoge became a world champion in the 5000 meters race, and won a bronze for it in 2004 in Athens, Greece, and a silver in 2008 at Beijing Olympics.

 He set a new record in 2016, by winning the London Marathon. He earned a gold medal in the Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games in the same year.

In 2020, he won the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, held in 2021 due to the postponement caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Kipchoge has won other awards including the U20 Cross Country World Championship (Lausanne, Switzerland 2003), a gold medal in the 5000-meter event of the 2010 Diamond League, and four first places, three in 5000 meters and one in 3000 meters, in the Golden League.

Kipchoge was named Athlete of the Year by World Athletics in 2018 and 2019.

In 2021, he also created the Eliud Kipchoge Foundation, whose aim is to facilitate access to early childhood education and environmental protection.