Eliud Kipchoge moved the world with his acceptance statement after being crowned the 2023 Princess of Asturias Award sports category.
A panel of 15 judges all voted in favour of Kipchoge describing him as a legendary athlete who has inspired a whole generation in believing that no human is limited.
After receiving the award, Kipchoge rallied for the unity of the world. The two-time Olympic gold medalist told the world that running was a symbol of unity as it allowed different athletes from different parts of the world to convene on the track for a common course.
He called on the world and its leaders to embrace the same ideology and unite for the greater good of the continent.
“Receiving the Princess of Asturias Award tonight fulfills me with honor, as it’s an acknowledgment for something that I’ve believed in thoroughly throughout my career. To some, running is simply an act of physical movement. But ever since I started running as a young boy in Kapsabet, Kenya, I knew running meant something much greater than that. Running is not just physical movement. Running is a vehicle that has the power to unite us, ” Kipchoge stated.
“We can only achieve greatness if we fully believe that there is nothing holding us back. There are no limits, just what our mind tricks us to believe. So, I urge to you see the world this way. To see the world without limits and to see all that is possible. A running world is a happy world. A running world is a united world,” the athletics legend insisted.
How the Judges Described Kipchoge
“The Jury has valued the figure of the athlete as a role model in world athletics and as the best marathon runner of all time. Two-time Olympic champion and holder of the world record for the race, Kipchoge is the only man in history to have managed to run the 42.195 kilometres in under two hours, although this feat has not been officially recognized,” read part of the statement from the judges.
