Monaco, Nov 24 (AFP) Eliud Kipchoge, the first man to run a marathon in less than two hours, and 400 metres hurdles world champion Dalilah Muhammad won the World Athlete of the Year awards.

Kipchoge, 35, claimed governing body World Athletics' year-ending prize in Monaco on Saturday after making history last month when he ran the marathon distance of 42.195 kilometres (26.219 miles) in 1hr 59min 40.2sec.

The Olympic champion, who also holds the official world record of 2h01m39sec, won this year's London marathon in April before his incredible feat in an unofficial event in Vienna.

American Muhammad won her award after a magnificent year that saw her set a world record of 52.20 seconds at the US Trials in Iowa in July -- breaking a record that had stood since 2003 -- before winning gold at the World Championships in Doha with a new world best time of 52.16sec.

The winners were chosen following a vote shared 50 percent by World Athletics, 25 percent by athletes, coaches and journalists and 25 percent by the general public. AFP SSC

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