Eliud Kipchoge wins World Sport Star of the Year 2019

Marathon runner Eliud Kipchoge has been voted BBC Sports Personality’s World Sport Star of the Year.

Eliud Kipchoge named BBC’s World Sport Star of the Year

Kipchoge became the first person to run a marathon in under two hours in October.

The Kenyan, 35, completed 26.2 miles (42.2km) in one hour 59 minutes 40 seconds in the Ineos 1:59 Challenge in Vienna, Austria.

Six months before his feat, Kipchoge won the London Marathon for a fourth time.

Kipchoge, who won Olympic gold at Rio 2016, broke his own London Marathon record – set in 2016 – by 28 seconds.

Topping an online public vote, the legendary marathon runner beat off competition from American gymnast Simone Biles, South Africa’s Rugby World Cup-winning captain Siya Kolisi, Australian cricketer Steve Smith, American golfer Tiger Woods and USA footballer Megan Rapinoe, who co-led her team to World Cup victory again this summer.

Last year’s winner was Italian golfer Francesco Molinari, who won the 2018 Open Championship and all five of his Ryder Cup matches at the event in Paris. – bbc.com