The International Association of Athletics Federations has awarded Patrick Makau of Kenya the title of the Association of International Marathons and Distance Races (AIMS) World Athlete of the Year, the most highly coveted accolade in world road running. During a short ceremony the Kenyan runner was given the Golden Shoe from the director of Gothenburg Half Marathon Race, which he won last year. “This is my first AIMS/ASICS Athlete of the Year Award and I hope it will be the first of many," Makau was quoted as saying on the IAAF official website. The 26-year-old Kenyan runner had an outstanding year in 2010, winning the 36th edition of the City-Pier-City Half Marathon in The Hague, clocking a sub-one hour time of 59:52. He became the fourth fasted runner in marathons when he marked 2:04:48 to win the Rotterdam Marathon to follow up this achievement with a subsequent win in the Berlin Marathon, clocking 2:05:08 to win his first World Marathon Major. "I am truly honoured for my name to be listed among some of the greatest athletes and distance runners of all time and I would like to thank AIMS and its members for their continued support” he added. The AIMS/ASICS World Athlete of the Year Awards was founded in 1992. A winner is chosen on a yearly basis from nominations from the member races of the world body.
