Chespol Lands IAAF Female Rising Star Award Nomination

NAIROBI, Kenya- World Under 20 steeplechase and Africa senior cross country champion, Celliphine Chepteek Chespol is a rank favourite among the five nominees who will vie for the 2018 Female Rising Star Award at the IAAF Gala in Monaco on December 4.

The accolade seeks to recognise the year’s best Under 20 (junior) athlete with compatriot and fellow Tampere 2018 gold medallist, Rhonex Kipruto making the 2018 Male Rising Star Award released by the world body on Monday.

Chespol added silver medals in the water and barriers race at the Commonwealth Games and Africa Senior Championships in Gold Coast, Australia and Asaba, Nigeria in that order in a storming 2018 season.

On July 13, the teenager staged a stunning display to become the first female athlete to retain the steeplechase title at the IAAF U20s in Finland where she smashed the event record with her 9:12.78 performance.

Chespol took a lead by cutting herself some good chunk of space from Kenyan-born Winfred Mutile who was running for Bahrain alongside Ugandan Peruth Chemutai.

On April 11, despite running with an injury as revealed by Athletics Kenya president, Lt. Gen. (Rtd) Jackson Tuwei, Chespol ran 9:22.61 to finish behind Jamaican Aisha Praught in one of the most stunning upsets in the Gold Coast Commonwealth track and field programme.

At Asaba, the precocious talent was only beaten to the top medal by Beatrice Chepkoech, the women’s world steeplechase record holder on the final day of the competition on August 5 in a Kenyan podium sweep where Fancy Cherotich took the third medal.

Chespol, 19, managed the stellar performances despite being embroiled in a case at the Sports Disputes Tribunal where she sought to annul a contract with American sports apparel giants, Nike.

All comers record

Ethiopian pair, Meseret Belete and Meskerem Mamo, American Sydney McLaughlin and Briana Williams of Jamaica are the other nominees for the Female Rising Star gong.

Gothenburg Half Marathon champion Meseret ran a world U20 best at the distance of 1:07:51 besides finishing sixth individually and winning team gold as part of Team Ethiopia at the Valencia 2018 World Half.

Like Chespol, Meskerem medalled at Asaba 2018, winning bronze in 5000m having set U20 leads in 3000m (8:33.63) and 5000m (15:05.21).

McLaughlin brings two world U20 bests or records at both 400m hurdles and indoor 400m with 52.75 and 50.36i, world (senior) lead at 400m hurdles with 52.75 and the US collegiate title at 400m hurdles to the table and is also another tip for the honours in Monaco.

Double Tampere 2018 spring champion, Briana Williams, who gave Jamaica the 100m and 200m titles in Finland, added the Carifta Games U17 gold medal at both sprints and 4x100m and is the youngest nominee.

On Monday, the IAAF announced Kipruto, who stormed to the 10,000m crown in Tampere in a championship record of 27:21.08 will vie for the corresponding Rising Star award against Norwegian breakout distance talent, Jakob Ingebrigtsen, who is a favourite for the gong.

On April 29, Kipruto set an US all comers record in the 10K when he blasted to victory in 27:08, pocketing a USD30,000 bonus in addition to the USD10,000 winners’ purse at the UAE Healthy Kidney run in New York to underline his talent.

IAAF Diamond League 5000m champion, Selemon Barega, is another potent contender having ran the U20 record of 12:43.02, the world’s quickest time since 2005 besides winning silver at the World Indoors.

Selemon was however, eclipsed in Tampere and Asaba where he finished just outside the medals in fourth at both competitions.

Armand Duplantis (Sweden) and Jordan Diaz (Cuba) round of the nominees.

World marathon record holder, Eliud Kipchoge and Chepkoech are the Kenyan nominees in the running for the 2018 Male and Female Athlete of the Year Award that will be presented at the same gala.