Kelvin Kiptum delivers his post-award speech in swahili during the World Athletics award ceremony
- Published By Jedida Barasa For The Statesman Digital
- 9 months ago
Months after journalist Levis Kones advised athletes to use their most comfortable language for interviews, Kelvin Kiptum chose Swahili for his post-award speech upon winning the World Athlete of the Year - Out of Stadia Events award.
Kones' advice, given in April after several Kenyan athletes faced challenges expressing themselves in English following victories in the Boston Marathon, encouraged athletes to use Swahili or other local languages and let media houses provide translators.
During the World Athletics Awards 2023 held on Monday night in Monaco, Kiptum became one of the first Kenyans to deliver his speech in Swahili.
"Mara ya kwanza nataka kuwashukuru mafans wangu kwa kunivotia. Nimekuwa mshindi wa mwanariadha bora na nawashukuru sana" (For the first time, I want to thank my fans for supporting me. I have become the best athlete, and I am very grateful to you all), he stated.
Kiptum achieved a world record in a World Athletics Platinum Label road race, running 2:00:35 at the Chicago Marathon in October.
He became the first athlete to break 2:01 in a record-eligible marathon, winning the race by almost three and a half minutes and taking 34 seconds off Eliud Kipchoge’s previous world record.
Just one year after his marathon debut, Kiptum now holds three of the seven fastest times in history, having also won the TCS London Marathon in April in 2:01:25.
Share on
SHARE YOUR COMMENT
MORE STORIES FOR YOU
Trending Stories
DJ Mo’s former illicit lo...
- Published By Jane
- January 15, 2024
Mapenzi! Zari and Tanasha...
- Published By Jane
- October 24, 2023
Zuchu Speaks on Diamond P...
- Published By Jane
- October 12, 2023
Hio Ni Upumbavu Wasituche...
- Published By Jane
- November 8, 2023
RECOMMENDED FOR YOU
CBK Report: What Kenyan B...
- Published By Jane
- September 12, 2024
Apple launches iPhone 16...
- Published By Jane
- September 12, 2024
I love teasing my boyfrie...
- Published By Jane
- September 12, 2024
The nailing wonder truth
- Published By Jane
- September 12, 2024
Latest Stories
KRA boss given 7 days to...
- Published By Jedida
- October 5, 2024
Report reveals Kenya took...
- Published By Jedida
- October 5, 2024
WHO issues alert to the M...
- Published By Jedida
- October 5, 2024
Car financing provider Mo...
- Published By Jedida
- October 5, 2024