*Undated
Just a few days after being nominated for the World Female Athlete of the Year Award, two-time Olympic 1,500m champion Faith Kipyegon has been invited as the VIP Guest at next month's (Sunday November 14th) Great Ethiopian Run International 10KM by legendary Haile Gebrselassie.
The visit to the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa, by the 27-year old will be the first ever trip. Kipyegon will appear alongside Haile Gebrselassie at both the pre-race press conference in Addis Ababa and at a special Gala dinner being staged on the eve of the race in Addis Ababa's Hyatt Regency Hotel.
In her own words, Kipyegon said: "For many years I have wanted to visit our neighbour Ethiopia. Haile has had such a big impact on running in both Kenya and Ethiopia and it is an honour for me to accept his invitation to this year's race." Kipyegon also added, " I am also very happy to support the Great Ethiopian Run which has inspired so many young athletes and is also helping people to stay active and lead a healthy lifestyle."
Great Ethiopian Run general manager Dagmawit Amare said that Faith's visit will create great excitement around race weekend, adding :" as one of Kenya’s greatest ever athletes with an amazing record of championship victories, Faith Kipyegon is well known to athletics fans in Ethiopia. It will be a great honor to have her with us for the race!"
Faith had earlier hinted at a transition from track racing stating that she indeed wanted to follow in the footsteps of marathon great, Eliud Kipchoge. Kipyegon, who has been in imperious form this season, said “I want to follow in the footsteps of Eliud Kipchoge. I am planning to run a marathon like him in future." In 2007, she literally benched Ethiopian superstars who Kenyan men drool over in beauty and style at the World Athletics Championships inside Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in East London.
The world champion is no longer that little girl from far-flung Ndabibit Village in Kuresoi, Nakuru–who is best remembered in global athletics circles for running barefoot to finish fourth at the World Cross Country Championships in Bydgoszcz, Poland, in 2010.
Kipyegon's record at the top of world running is unparalleled. At the age of 17, she won the World Youth 1500M and then became the World junior 1500M the following year. Truly She has come a long way from the clean-shaven Winners Girls High School, who raced her peers to the ground as a junior.
She also claimed her first Olympic title in Rio. In all these races she came up against tough Ethiopian opponents including the likes of Genzebe Dibaba and Senberi Teferi.