Kiprop, Kemboi, Sum begin Golden Jackpot quest in Doha
Ezekiel Kemboi celebrates after winning the men's 3000 metres steeplechase final at the 2013 IAAF World Championships at the Luzhniki stadium in Moscow on August 15, 2013. PHOTO | OLIVIER MORIN | FILE
What you need to know:
- Double World 1,500m champion Kiprop and Kemboi, who is the World and Olympic 3,000m steeplechase champion, have singled their intentions of attempting to breaking the world record in their respective events.
- It’s during the Herculis (Monaco Diamond League) where Asbel Kiprop set his personal best of 3:27.72 hence making the grounds the most appropriate to attempt the World Record.
- Consenslus Kipruto won the 2013 Diamond League Series.
World champions Asbel Kiprop, Ezekiel Kemboi and Eunice Sum are among Kenyan elite athletes set to star in Doha, the opening leg of the 2014 Diamond League starting Friday.
Also headed for Doha are the World silver medallists Mercy Cherono and Consenslus Kipruto among other Kenyan top elite athletes Silas Kiplagat, Brimin Kipruto and Abel Mutai.
Already, double World 1,500m champion Kiprop and Kemboi, who is the World and Olympic 3,000m steeplechase champion, have singled their intentions of attempting to breaking the world record in their respective events.
The Doha Meet will be vital for Kiprop, who is eying to break the World Record in the metric mile race at Monaco leg of the Diamond League on July 18.
“I will just be gauging how my body will respond in Doha as I lay my strategies. I want to get the rhyme and every step right,” said Kiprop. “Many people believe I am capable of breaking the World Record and I feel the weight," Kiprop told nation.co.ke.
Kiprop said he is longing for that moment in Monaco. “I can't wait for this day to come,” said Kiprop as he headed for Doha.
PERSONAL BEST
It’s during the Herculis (Monaco Diamond League) where the 2011 Daegu and 2013 Moscow World 1,500m gold medallist set his personal best of 3:27.72 hence making the grounds the most appropriate to attempt the World Record.
PHOTO | AFP Kenya's Asbel Kiprop celebrates after winning the men's 1500 metres final at the 2013 IAAF World Championships at the Luzhniki stadium in Moscow on August 18, 2013. Kiprop will be targeting to break the world record of three minutes 26.00 seconds during the Monaco Diamond League on July 18, this year.
His exploits at Herculis last year made the 24-year-old from Uasin Gishu the fourth fastest man ever at the distance. The world record time of 3:26.00 that has stood since July 14, 1998 from Rome is held by Hicham El Guerrouj (Morocco).
“It’s not easy digging a sub 3:26 per say but I will try my best, although I'm not 100 per cent sure since it will also depend on several factors,” said Kiprop adding that he will need to stay focused and have a good pace setters.
Kiprop is up against arch-rival former world silver medallist Silas Kiplagat, World Indoor champion Ayanleh Souleiman (Djibouti), World bronze medallist Johan Cronje (South Africa) and World Indoor silver medallist Aman Wote (Ethiopia).
Kemboi, who will be competing in his first major event since retaining his World title in Moscow last August, will renew rivalry with World silver medallist Consenslus Kipruto, 2008 Beijing Olympic champion Brimin Kipruto and 2012 London Olympics bronze medallist Abel Mutai.
Consenslus Kipruto won the 2013 Diamond League Series.
WORLD RECORD HOLDER
Kenyan-born Qatari Saif Saaeed Shaheen holds the 3,000m steeplechase record time of 7:53.63 set in Brussels on September 3, 2004. Kemboi holds the fifth fastest time of 7:55.76 but its Brimin Kipruto, who came close to breaking the record, missing it by a micro second with a time of 7:53.64 at Fontvieille in 2011.
Sum, who won the World 800m title last year in Moscow before claiming the 2013 Diamond League Series, will highlight the two-lap race where she is up against her mentor and 2007 World champion Janeth Jepkosgei.
PHOTO | FILE Kenya’s Eunice Sum (right) wins the 800m final at the IAAF World Athletics Championship in Moscow on August 18. Ms Sum guided her team to a new record in the 4x1,500m on April 5 at the last leg of Athletics Kenya Series.
Cherono, the World 5,00m silver medallist and World 1,500m bronze medallist Hellen Obiri will face the Indoor 1,500m and 3,000m World Record holder Genzebe Dibaba in women’ s 3,000m race. Also in the race is the World 5,000m bronze medallist Almaz Ayana from Ethiopia.
Genzebe will perhaps present the toughest hurdle for the Kenyans having snatched the World Indoor 3,000m title from Obiri in Poland last month, weeks after setting the two Indoor World Records - 1,500m (3:55.17) and 3,000m (8:16.60).
