Person of the Week for June 15, 2020: Yves Sikubwabo

© Copyright – 2020 – Athletics Illustrated

The Athletics Illustrated Person of the Week honour for the week of June 15, 2020 is awarded to Canadian distance runner, Yves Sikubwabo. Sikubwabo has been helping out families that are in need during the Covid-19 pandemic in Iten, Kenya with a donation campaign to help locals buy food or assist with rent.

From Sikubwabo’s Facebook page: 

“I recently travelled to Kenya and was training and living in a small village named Iten. I believe most people from my running communities are familiar with this location. If you want to know about it click here https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iten.

My friends and I have been asked by so many athletes in Kenya to help them buy food or pay the rents. We have tried our best to be able to support 20 athletes but last month and now we have 74 athletes who need help for food. This number is so hight that my friends and I won’t be able to help all of them. This is why I am asking anyone who wants to make an impact on someone’s life in Iten to please donate or help us reach the potential donors so we can together support each other during these difficult times.

Please here are the prices of the food that most athletes eat in Iten in case you want to know what you can donate towards.”

2kg of Ugali flour (corn flours) $2

5kg of sugar $5 50kg of sugar $45

5kg of rice $5 50kg of rice $45

5kg of corn $2 90kg of corn $35

20l of oil $20 1 big bag of charcoal $10

“In my opinion, there are so many reasons why Iten is so special for runners. But for myself, the most important thing that makes Iten so special is the people you meet and train with who are willing to help everyone in any way possible. For example, they will help with workouts, hiking and they will not care about how fast you are whatever pace you are running at they will pace you as you wish. Without this kind of help that comes from the locals, Iten would be different for me and the experience I got, it would not have been the same.”

As of June 15, $1,727 of $2,000 has been raised.

Personal bests: 

5,000m  – 14:05.23
10,000m – 29:47.17
Half-marathon – 65:39

Canadian USport Cross Country Champion – 2017

The Athletics Illustrated Person of the Week recognition is an endeavour that aims to recognise noteworthy or newsworthy achievements, actions or events in the sport of athletics by individuals who are involved or have affected the sport in some way.

The weekly decision will be the discretion of Athletics Illustrated, however, input from readers is welcome.

At the end of each year, the Person of the Week honours will be reviewed and featured along with a Person of the Year recognition taken from the list of weekly honours.

If you feel someone should be recognised, please register, login, and provide the person’s name and reason.