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Kipchoge falls short at Laureus Award as Messi, Hamilton voted joint winners

By Hilary Kimuyu February 18th, 2020 1 min read

Olympics marathon champion and world record holder Eliud Kipchoge on Monday night lost the Laureus World Sportsman of the Year award to Formula One champion Lewis Hamilton and footballer Lionel Messi.

The pair, who had the same number of votes, won the award ahead of Kipchoge, Spaniards Rafael Nadal (tennis), Marc Márquez (motorcycling), and golfer Tiger Woods.

Messi became the first footballer to get the award after helping Barcelona to the Spanish league title, while Hamilton won his sixth Formula One championship title.

This is the first time in the awards history the two nominees have tied on votes in top spot.

MEMORABLE SEASON

American gymnast Simone Biles won her third Laureus Sportswoman of the Year award at a gala that took place in Berlin, Germany.

“A big congratulations to Lewis Hamilton as Laureus World Sportsman of the Year. Well deserved,” Kipchoge tweeted after the results were announced.

Kipchoge failed to win the prestigious award even after having a memorable season that included becoming the first man to run a marathon in under two hours at the INEOS 1:59 Challenge in Vienna and winning the 2019 London Marathon in a new course record time of two hours, two minutes and 37 seconds.

However, for his great achievement Kipchoge won the 2019 World Athletics Athlete of Year award, the BBC Overseas Sports Personality of the Year and 2019 Safaricom Sportsman of the Year Award (SOYA).