Eliud Kipchoge, Caterine Ibarguen selected Athletes of the Year

Kenyan long-distance runner Eliud Kipchoge, who set the world marathon record in Berlin, and Colombian jumper Caterine Ibarguen have been named the world Athletes of the Year at the International Association of Athletics Federations gala in Monaco, an event also attended by the constitutional monarchy’s reigning Prince Albert II.

The Rising Star awards were presented to Swedish-American pole-vaulter Armand Duplantis and US hurdler Sydney McLaughlin, and the President’s Award was given to Switzerland’s 91-year-old Andreas Brugger, a former shot-putter best known for his tenure as meeting director of Zurich’s iconic Weltklasse - the annual, invitation-only, world-class track and field competition.

Kipchoge set the world marathon record of 2:01:39 on Sept. 16 in Berlin, resurrecting the debate about what the human limits are in the race.

He has won 10 of the 11 marathons in which he has competed, including the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics , cementing his complete dominance in the event and transforming himself into a living legend.

Vying with Kipchoge for the award were France’s Kevin Mayer, who broke the world decathlon record with 9,126 points, and American Christian Coleman, the world indoor record holder for the 60 meter dash, running that race in 9.79 seconds.

Ibarguen won out over Kenya’s Beatrice Chepkoech, who broke the world 3,000 meter steeplechase record with a time of 8:44.32.

Ibarguen’s impeccable career had made her the favorite to receive the award, given that she took first place in the long jump and triple jump at the Central American and Caribbean Games earlier this year, won all eight of her triple jump competitions, and holds the South American record in the triple jump with 15.31 m, achieved at the Diamond League competition in Monaco on July 18, 2014.