Bungei backs Faith Kipyegon's Laureus Award chances
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Reading Time: 2min | Thu. 06.03.25. | 09:40
"she is on fire 365 days a year, very disciplined and always working hard to improve herself"
Former 800m Olympic gold medalist Wilfred Bungei has disclosed why he is backing three-time Olympic gold medalist Faith Kipyegon to bag the prestigious Laureus World Sports Award.
Kipyegon was nominated for the award alongside tennis star Aryanna Sabalenka from Belarus, Aitana Bonmati, a Spanish footballer, Olympic marathon champion Sifa Hassan of the Netherlands, and seven-time Olympic gymnast Simone Biles from the United States.
Bungei believes that Kipyegon’s consistency and performance at the top level and especially her exploits at the Paris Olympic Games and the Diamond League makes her a favourite for the award.
“She has been very consistent in her races; she keeps improving every day and she had a successful year and that is why she deserves the award because she is also a role model to many in the world,” said Bungei in an interview with Citizen Digital.
Bungei who also bagged a 800m gold medal in the 2006 World Indoor Championship in Moscow went ahead to elucidate the factors behind Kipyegon's successful career and form.
“She is a modern athlete; she is on fire 365 days a year, very disciplined and always working hard to improve herself; that is why she is successful any time she competes,” he added.
Should Kipyegon win the award, she will be the second Kenyan to do so as 2016 Rio Olympic 5000m gold medalist Vivian Cheruiyot is the only Kenyan to bag it so far.
The 44-year-old also lauded the initiative by Athletics Kenya (AK) to organize field and track events that also bring together experienced athletes and the young ones.
“That is a very good initiative from AK; this will help to nurture more local talent and also be a chance for the veteran athletes to mentor the upcoming ones; it will bring the best out of athletes,” he said.
The events are aimed at, among others, helping the federation to come up with the best team that will represent the country at the World Championship in Tokyo in September.
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