Trailblazing Keitany wins another award

Four-time New York City Marathon champion Mary Keitany was on Wednesday named the StarTimes Sports Personality of the Month for November.

The 36-year-old won her fourth New York City Marathon in November in two hours, 22 minutes and 48 seconds, breaking the New York marathon course record Keitany has won New York City marathon four times thus — 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2018.

Keitany had earlier on Tuesday been named the New York road runner pro Performer of the year 2018, following her 4th win at the New York Marathon. "This is quite a surprise for me, I did not expect to receive an award on Kenyan soil but I am humbled beyond words for being selected for the November award," said Keitany.

Speaking during the award ceremony, StarTimes Marketing and PR Director Japheth Akhulia said: “Keitany becomes our 17th recipient of the monthly StarTimes sports personality award and is a true testament of our progressive effort to recognize outstanding sports men and women. We will continue to support this noble course key in encouraging sporting excellence in the country.”

She beat experienced rally driver Carl "Flash" Tundo, who registered his sixth win of the season with victory at the Guru Nanak Rally and subsequently won his fourth Kenya National Rally Championship and Angela Okutoyi - who finished second at the Africa Cup of Nations in Botswana.

Others who were in the race for the November gong were Samuel Njoroge, who won the Lagos Tennis Open and Kenya Defence Forces boxers including Black-Moses Mathenge, Nick Okoth, Isaac Meja, Simon Mulinge, and Fredrick Onyango who all won silver medals at the Africa Military Games in Morocco. Keitany walked away with a trophy, a 43-inch StarTimes digital TV set and a cash prize of Sh100, 000.