St. Raphael's Devan Kipyego named Gatorade RI Boys Track & Field Player of the Year
The honors for St. Raphael's Devan Kipyego keep piling up. On Wednesday, the junior was named the 2021-22 Gatorade Rhode Island Boys Track & Field Player of the Year.
The 5-foot-8-inch, 130-pound Kipyego set a state record in the mile run at the Brooks PR Invitational. Kipyego won bronze in the race with a time of 4:00.64, which ranked seventh nationally among prep competitors in 2022 at the time of his selection as well as 27th in high school history.
Kipyego won the national championship in the 2,000-meter steeplechase and finished fourth in the mile at New Balance Nationals Outdoor, earning double All-America status.
He also won the 400-meter dash, and the 800-, 1,500- and 3,000-meter runs at the Class C Championship, leading the Saints to the team title. His top time of 8:20.52 in the 3,000 at the Sgt. Brian St. Germain Invitational also set a school record and ranked No. 12 in the country this spring. His older brother, Darius, was the 2019-20 and 2020-21 Gatorade Rhode Island Track & Field Player of the Year.
A perennial Providence Journal All-Stater, Kipyego also was named the 2021-22 Gatorade Rhode Island Boys Cross Country Runner of the Year after the fall season. And just last week, Kipyego was honored as the Providence Journal Player of the Year in Boys Indoor Track and Boys Cross Country.
The Gatorade award recognizes athletic excellence, high standards of academic achievement as well as exemplary character demonstrated on and off the field.
Faster, higher, stronger: Presenting the 2021-22 Providence Journal All-State Boys Indoor Track Teams
Related: Devan Kipyego named Gatorade Rhode Island Boys Cross Country Runner of the Year
More high school sports: How Henry Dennen out-sprinted triple gold-medal winner Devan Kipyego in the 3,000
Kipyego has volunteered at local road races, and he has donated his time to multiple community service initiatives through his church. In class, Kipyego has maintained a weighted B-plus average.
“Watching Devan compete is truly inspiring,” said Matty Bennett, track coach at Moses Brown School. “No matter the meet, he goes above and beyond for his team. He would do anything for his team, whether that means running a 3K in 90-plus degree heat after already having run three events, or if it’s anchoring a 4x800 [relay] at the state meet, Devan is an inspiration.”
Kipyego joins recent Gatorade Rhode Island Boys Track & Field Players of the Year Darius Kipyego (2020-21 & 2019-20, St. Raphael Academy), Conor Murphy (2018-19, Classical) and Jeffery Pedersen (2017-18, East Greenwich), among others. He also joins an elite alumni association of state award-winners in 12 sports, including Lolo Jones (1997-98, Roosevelt High School, Iowa), Allyson Felix (2002-03, Los Angeles Baptist High School, Calif.) and Robert Griffin III (2006-07, Copperas Cove High School, Texas).
This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Devan Kipyego named Gatorade RI Boys Track & Field Player of Year
