Kipruto, Yego eye success in Rome Gala
What you need to know:
- Olympic 3,000m steeplechase champion Conseslus Kipruto will launch his season at the Rome Golden Gala on June 8 as he looks to defend his title.
- World Javelin champion Julius Yego will be hoping for an improved performance in the Italian city after a slow start in Doha on May 5.
- After Rome, Kipruto will head back home for the World Championships trials due June 23 to 24 in Nairobi before heading to Ostrava World Challenge to defend his title on June 28.
Olympic 3,000m steeplechase champion Conseslus Kipruto will launch his season at the Rome Golden Gala on June 8 as he looks to defend his title.
World Javelin champion Julius Yego will be hoping for an improved performance in the Italian city after a slow start in Doha on May 5.
“Training has been great and I am looking for a great show with this season being the World championship year,” said Kipruto, who has been training in Mosoriot, under his coach William Murgor.
After winning at the Rio Olympics in a championship record time of 8:03.28, Kipruto hopes to be in great shape for the World Championships due August 4 to 13 in London.
“It’s my desire to win the World title in London, having settled for silver at Beijing in 2015,” said Kipruto.
“I just want to fill by body in Rome and see how it goes.”
After Rome, Kipruto will head back home for the World Championships trials due June 23 to 24 in Nairobi before heading to Ostrava World Challenge to defend his title on June 28.
Yego, the Olympic javelin silver medallist, has had a slow start to the season, throwing 81.94 metres to finish seventh in Doha.
Rio Olympic gold medallist Thomas Rohler threw 93.90m to win in Doha breaking Yego’s Diamond League record of 91.39 set in Birmingham in 2015.
Yego, who retained his Kenya Police Service title a fortnight ago with a throw of 78.40, said he is working on his left leg technique and rhyme ahead of his debut in Rome.
“I almost lost my technique after the groin injury I sustained at the Rio Olympics,” said Yego.
” I have been working on my technique and flexibility and hope to pick up form at the right time for the worlds.”
Yego said under his coach Joseph Mosonik, he has focused on areas of weakness which cost him last year especially the groin, where he had been doing rubber training to help ease the muscles around the area.
“Flexibility is what gave me the edge in 2015,” said the reigning Commonwealth Games champion.
“Everything looks and feels good and I expect a great season.”
Yego and Rohler will line up against 2012 Olympic champion Keshorn Walcott and two other former world champions Vitezslav Vesely (2013), and Tero Pitkamaki (2007).
Rohler, Yego and Walcott secured podium places during the 2016 Rio Olympic Games winning the gold, the silver and the bronze medals respectively.
