Vivian Cheruiyot receives top Presidential award for outstanding contribution to national pride

Vivian Cheruiyot receives top Presidential award for outstanding contribution to national pride

Joel Omotto 17:43 - 16.08.2024

Multiple Olympic and world champion Vivian Cheruiyot was among recipients of one of the highest Presidential awards over her distinguished service through sport.

Former Olympic and world champion Vivian Cheruiyot has been awarded one of the top honours in the country by President William Ruto.

Cheruiyot, one of the most accomplished athletes in Kenya, was awarded Chief of the order of the burning spear (C.B.S) by President Ruto on Friday, during a ceremony to declare Eldoret as the country’s fifth city.

The former world and Olympic 5,000m champion was among four recipients of the C.B.S award, the third highest honour in the country, for their significant contributions in representing Eldoret within their respective roles.

Holders of the award receive a medal that has a black ribbon, half green with a white-edged red central stripe.

It is just another feather in Cheruiyot’s cap in a week when Eldoret and the rest of Kenya has been celebrating the exemplary performance of Team Kenya at the Paris 2024 Olympics after winning 11 medals (four gold, two silver and five bronze).

Cheruiyot represented Kenya in international competitions for 18 years, featuring in World Cross Country, where she won one title, World Championships (winning four gold medals and one silver) and Olympics, claiming one gold, two silvers and a bronze.

She has since switched to marathons, winning Frankfurt and London Marathons to continue her successful career.

Her last marathon was the Paris 2024 edition when she managed an impressive third place behind Ethiopian duo Mestawut Fikir and Enat Tirusew who finished in first and second positions respectively.