Allsportspk 2019 International Achievers: Top Male Athletes
Eliud Kipchoge – Long Distance Runner
Eliud Kipchoge stormed into the history books on 12 October 2019 in Prater park, Vienna, when he became the first-ever human to complete the Ineos 1:59 Challenge by finishing 22.6 miles in a record time of 01:59:40.
Though the record achievement was not recognized by the international athletics federation as the event was not a formal one but Kipchoge did manage to secure a place in the Guinness book of world records.
The Kenyan athlete added another feather to his cap by winning the 2019 London Marathon and set a new course record.
The 45-year-old farmer-turned-marathon-runner came to be an international symbol of belief in oneself and heights of human physical excellence if properly channeled for his achievements in 2019.
Israel Adesanya – Mixed Martial Arts
Israel Adesanya began the year 2019 with a unanimous victory over Anderson Silva in January. He then grabbed the temporary UFC middleweight champion title by defeating Kelvin Gastelum.
The Nigerian-New Zealander MMA fighter did not stop his upward journey and solidified his grip on the undisputed middleweight champion by ousting Robert Whittaker via a fabulous knockout.
Adesanya won all his UFC fights in 2019, won four ‘fight of the night awards’ and was named ‘fighter of the 2019’ by Kenny Florian.
Kawhi Leonard – Basketball
A man of few words but not definitely of few actions, Kawhi Leonard had his most successful season in 2019 as he not only led Toronto Raptors to their first-ever championship victory but was named NBA Finals MVP for the second time, an extraordinary feat for sure.
The 28-year-old, renowned for his ball-hawking skills, amassed 732 points during the 2019 playoffs and was named ‘Athlete of the year 2019’ by the Associated Press.
