Vivian Cheruiyot voted Kenya’s best athlete of 2016
Olympic 5,000m champion Vivian “Pocket Rocket” Cheruiyot is the 2016 Sports Personality of the Year Awards (Soya) winner.
Cheruiyot, who also won silver in 10,000m at the Rio Olympic Games, edged out Olympic marathon champion Eliud Kipchoge and Paralympians Samuel Muchai and Nancy Koech to reclaim the overall title she last won in 2011.
Cheruiyot also bagged the 2016 Sportswoman of the Year award, beating fellow Olympic gold medallist Faith Chepng’etich (1,500m) and Jemimah Sumgong (marathon).
Kipchoge, the 2016 AK Athlete of the Year winner, extended his reign to Soya, bagging the Sportsman of the Year award, beating Olympic 3,000m steeplechase champion Conseslus Kipruto to second place.
Olympic and World 800m champion David Rudisha and Collins Injera, the World Sevens Series all-time top try scorer (235), shared the third spot.
TEAM OF THE YEAR
Kenya Sevens bagged the Team of the Year award, no doubt swaying the voting after their historic Singapore Sevens win in the World Rugby Series, beating SportPesa Premier League champions Tusker FC and Kenya Simbas 15 rugby team. It was the country’s first leg title in the history of the Series.
Muchai, who won two gold medals in gold in the T11 men’s 1500m and 5000m at the Rio Paralympics was declared Sportsman Living with a Disability, beating fellow Paralympian Henry Kirwa and National Wheelchair champion Peter Munuve to second and third respectively.
Koech, the only woman to win a medal at Rio Paralympics with silver in 1,500m T11, went for women’s top honours, beating Nelly Sile and Irene Cherono.
World Under-20 800m champion Kipyegon Bett won the Most Promising Boy award, beating Ryan Randiek (Tennis) and Joseph Okumu (football).
SOYA WINNERS
2016 Sports Personality of the Year: Vivian Cheruiyot (Athletics)
Sportsman of the Year:
1. Eliud Kipchoge (Athletics, Marathon)
2. Conseslus Kipruto (Athletics, 3,000m steeplechase)
3. Collins Injera (Kenya Sevens rugby)/David Rudisha (Athletics, 800m)
Sportswoman of the Year:
1. Vivian Cheruiyot (Athletics, 10,000m, 5,000m)
2. Faith Chepng’etich (Athletics, 1,500m)
3. Jemimah Sumgong (Athletics, marathon)
Sportsman Living with a Disability:
Samuel Muchai (Athletics, T11- 1,500m, 5,000m),
Henry Kirwa (T13-1,500m, 5,000m)
Sportsman Living with a Disability:
1. Nancy Koech (Athletics)
2. Nelly Sile (Athletics)
3. Irene Cherono (Athletics).
Most Promising Boy:
1. Kipyegon Bett (Athletics)
2. Ryan Randiek (tennis)
3. Joseph Okumu (football)
Most Promising Girl:
1. Mwanahalima Adam (football)
2. Kelly Gachaga (Golf)
3. Sneha Kotecha (Tennis)
Team of the Year –Men:
1. Kenya Sevens (Rugby)
2. Tusker FC (Football)
3. Kenya Simbas (rugby)
Team of the Year – Women:
1. Harambee Starlets
2. Telkom Orange (hockey)
3. National Roll Ball Team
Sports Federation of the Year:
1. Tennis Kenya
2. Football Kenya Federation
3. KSSSA
School Team of the Year-Boys:
1. Kamusinga (Hockey)
2. Kakamega (Rugby)
3. Upperhill (Basketball)
School Team of the Year-Girls:
1. Kaya Tiwi (Basketball)
2. Sinyolo Girls (Hockey)
3. AIC Kosirai (Volleyball)
School Player of the Year Girls:
Haddasah Gichovi (Athletics)
School Player of the Year Boys:
Allan Singar
School Coach of the Year:
Philip Onyango
Coach of the Year:
Jos Openda (Telkom Orange)
Hall of Fame:
Jackson Omaido (Rugby),
Naftali Temu (Athletics)
Community Hero:
Felix Oloo
