Ekiru wins the Sports Personality of May award

Milan marathon winner Titus Ekiru is the LG/SJAK Sports Personality of the Month for May 2021.

The award comes after winning the Generali Milan Marathon for a second time on May 16, in a course record and world-leading time of 2:02:57 with second-placed Reuben Kipyego 58 seconds adrift.

This time improved the course record he set in 2019 of 2:04:46 by 1 minute 49 seconds, as he became the joint fifth fastest marathoner of all time. His winning time went into the records as the fastest time run in a marathon in May and an Italian all-comers record.

Ekiru took the crown from a close challenge from 2019 Under-20 World Cross Country Champion Beatrice Chebet who won 3000m at the Doha Diamond League meeting in a personal best and world-leading time of 8:2749 seconds.

Chebet sprinted to the finish line in the final 250 metres to beat a field that included world 5000 metres champion Hellen Obiri, Lilian Kasait and Margaret Chelimo.

Among the nominees pipped by Ekiru to the gong in the month of May were Elias Ngeny who clocked a world-leading time of the 1 minute 43.84 seconds at the Athletics Kenya Pre-Trials at the Nyayo National stadium. 

Others are weightlifter Winny Langat who took silver in the women’s 59kg division at the African Championships in Nairobi, and boxer Nick Okoth who won a bronze at the Konstan Korotkov Boxing Championships in Russia.

Following this feat, Ekiru went home with a SolarDOM 3-in-1 oven used for heating, grilling, and baking and a customised trophy.

“I Would like to thank LG/SJAK for this award. Winning the Milan Marathon and equalling Dennis Kimeto’s former world record against a strong field was not easy as I was coming off an injury. I underwent surgery in 2020 for a knee injury and I still have the screws. Running knowing I have something in my knee was not easy, despite being painless, as there is always that worry that anything can happen. This award is motivation to keep pushing for better times,"Ekiru said adding that he will commence preparations for Chicago or London marathon later in the year. 

Ekiru joins the growing list of sportsmen and women to have won the coveted title this season.

Other winners are tennis superstar Angela Okutoyi (January), basketballer Tylor Okari Ongwae of Kenya Moran's (February) and boxer Elly Ajowi (March) in a fairy tale stint that saw him qualify for the Tokyo Olympics.

The LG sponsored award continues to whip up the enthusiasm of sports personalities across the country.

SJAK president Chris Mbaisi, on his part, thanked LG Electronics for their unswerving support saying the partnership continues to make a gigantic difference in the promotion of sporting activities across the country.

"With the Award running on a monthly basis, sportsmen and women can look forward to greater heights in sport- so thrills and spills are guaranteed in the season as we move forward," Mbaisi said.