Faith Kipyegon on Tuesday received well-deserved recognition from telecommunications service provider Safaricom for breaking two world records within a single week.
The giant telco, through its CEO Peter Ndegwa, presented a reward of 2 million Kenyan Shillings to the remarkable double Olympic and world champion in the 1,500 meters, in recognition of her extraordinary feat of setting world records during the Florence and Paris legs of the Diamond League.
Ndegwa said the reward is part of Safaricom’s support to athletes putting the country’s name on the global map.
Safaricom also showcased her image at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC) building on Monday night.
“At Safaricom, we are committed to supporting talents in the country. We appreciate and feel proud of what Faith has achieved and for her stellar performance, breaking two world records in one week. I believe this will help motivate many more talents in the country,” said Ndegwa.
Kipyegon on her part appreciated Safararicom’s gesture and expressed her disbelief at setting two world records in a span of one week.
“I thank Safaricom for recognising and honouring me; this is a big gesture in support of Kenyan athletes.
“It came as a surprise, and up to now, I am still shocked. I didn’t expect this, but again I believe I was well prepared for a good race and to break my personal best,” she said.
The two-time Olympic champion clocked 3:49.11 and 14:05.20 in 1500m and 5000m at Florence Diamond League and Paris Diamond League, respectively, becoming the first Kenyan woman to hold the world records over the two distances.
With the latest reward from Safaricom, Faith Kipyegon’s tally of received accolades amounts to at least Sh13 million. This includes Sh5 million cash and a house worth Sh 6 million courtesy of the government.
