- Tweeter
republish
An icon, a crazy record holder and a new terror in the world of cycling. In 2019, three sportsmen and women burst the screen. On the football side, Megan Rapinoe has shone as much on the field as weighed on the social issues of America. Eliud Kipchoge, him, pushed the human limits on marathon. Egan Bernal, finally, struck a big blow by winning the Tour de France, at only 22 years old.
►Megan Rapinoe - Soccer - World Champion and Ballon d'Or 2019 - United States
World champion, Best player and Best goal scorer at the World Cup, FIFA player of the year, Women's Golden Ball … Megan Rapinoe won almost everything in 2019. The footballer, part of Team USA who kept his world title in France this summer, was essential on the lawns but not only. The American, who plays in the midfield with undeniable talent - her track record is equivocal - with the United States and Seattle Reign FC, has also become a real figure of opinion in her country. Committed to the fight for respect for civil rights, Megan Rapinoe does not hesitate to speak up to denounce discrimination of all forms.
Inevitably, the 2012 Olympic champion found herself an enemy in the person of American President Donald Trump , far from sharing all her opinions. The two have spent time tackling the media in recent months. By chaining collective and individual successes, Megan Rapinoe has given herself an aura rarely seen in women's football. When presenting the World Cup trophy in New York, the new icon delivered a message that went far beyond sport: “ We have to be better. We must love more and hate less. We need to listen more and speak less. It is our responsibility to make this world a better place. "
►Eliud Kipchoge - Athletics - First man to run the marathon in less than 2 hours - Kenya
" I run to show that there is no limit, " said Eliud Kipchoge, a few days before setting off in the Prater of Vienna in Austria for a stratospheric challenge. Already in September 2018, the Kenyan had exploded the official world record for the marathon . On October 12, 2019, under very specific conditions (optimal climatic conditions, suitable terrain with almost no elevation gain, 41 hares to guide him ...), the 2016 Olympic champion made even stronger by becoming the first man to run the marathon in less than 2 hours . The founder achieved the feat of swallowing the 41,195km in the space of 1 hour 59 minutes and 40 seconds. Or an average speed of more than 21 km / h!
Eliud Kipchoge compared his performance to Man's first step on the Moon in 1969 and to the first mile (1.609.34m) run in less than 4 minutes by Rober Bannister in 1957 (Hicham El Guerrouj has held the world record since 1999 in 3'43''13). Voted Athlete of the Year as in 2018, the 34-year-old Kenyan hopes to be an example with this marathon in less than 2 hours: “ Now that I have done it, I am waiting for others to do it after me. (…) This demonstrates the beauty of sport. I want to make athletics a clean and fascinating sport. Together, when we run, we can make the world beautiful . "
►Egan Bernal - Cycling - Winner of the Tour de France 2019 - Colombia
National hero, Egan Bernal (Ineos) became, this summer at only 22 years old, the first Colombian rider to win the Tour de France. A precocious phenomenon, Egan Bernal won the 77th Paris-Nice edition at the start of the year, the first great success of his career. If the native of Bogota had the objective of leaving his mark on the Tour of Italy in May 2019, an injury had forced him to ignore the Italian race. In 2018, the Colombian rider, who came from mountain biking, had discovered the Tour de France as a team member for the outgoing winner Geraint Thomas and was ranked 15th overall.
" He will do great things and will not have to wait very long to return to the Tour to try to win it, " commented at the time the Spaniard Alberto Contador. " I don't want to think about winning the Tour, I'm not ready for the moment. There are a lot of runners who have won one week races, but who have not been able to win a big lap over three weeks, ”said Egan Bernal a few months before this prestigious success. A year later, it was the first step on the podium that he conquered. Egan Bernal's talent was detected during his victory at the Tour de l'Avenir in August 2017 when he won two stages.