NAIROBI, Kenya, May 5- Former world marathon record holder; Tegla Loroupe is the recipient of the 2011 IOC Women and Sport World trophy.
National Olympic Committee-Kenya (Nock) made the announcement on Thursday adding yet another feather to the cap of the retired talented runner internationally renown for her peace efforts.
“Loroupe was selected for her exemplary sports career, contribution to participation of women and girls in physical and sports activities in Kenya,” the statement from Nock read.
Her contribution to supporting women in administrative and leadership in sport as well as promotion of women sport in the media was also considered.
“Through her foundation, the Tegla Loroupe Peace Foundation, she has been able to cement her career as an athlete and philanthropist,” the communiqué added.
Loroupe, a veteran of the three Olympics in Barcelona (1992), Atlanta (1996) and Sydney (2000) won three World Half Marathon titles in her career.
At the 1999 Berlin marathon, Loroupe ran 2:20:43 to set the world record that stood until 2001 when Japanese runner, Naoko Takahashi broke it with a 2:19:44 at the same course.
Outside a decorated athletics career that ran for two decades, Loroupe set up her foundation in 2003 to tackle hostilities among pastoralists communities in Kenya, Uganda and Southern Sudan.
In 2006, she was named a United Nations Ambassador of Sport together with Swiss tennis star Roger Federer, Latin America football legend Elias Figueroa and Australian Paralympics champion, Katrina Webb.
Loroupe is also an International Sports Ambassador for world athletics governing body IAAF and UNICEF.
A year later, she was named Oxfam Ambassador of Sport and Peace to Darfur and also won the Community Hero award at Kenya’s blue riband Sports Personality of the Year awards.
The former world record holder is also a member of ‘Champions for Peace’ club, a group of 54 famous elite athletes committed to serving peace in the world through sport.
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