Prepare for bruising battle, Kiptoo tells rivals ahead of KDF race

What you need to know:

  • Besides Oloitiptip, Kiptoo is up against upcoming athletes from other military formations in the likes of Linus Chumba and Kiplimo Mutai. Others are the 2010 World Cross Country champion Joseph Ebuya and 2007 World Cross country junior silver medallist Vincent Kiprop.
  • Kiptoo, who won silver in 10,000m at the 2012 Africa Championships and boasts of two gold medals in 5,000m from the 2007 and 2011 World Military Games, said he is through with track racing.
  • He competed at the 2014 Paris Marathon in April where a tendon injury wracked havoc that saw him finish ninth in 2:13:57 in a race won by debutante Ethiopian Kenenisa Bekele in a course record time of 2:05:03.

Frankfurt Marathon champion Mark Kiptoo has warned his rivals to brace for a bruising battle during the Kenya Defence Forces Cross Country Championships on Friday at the Kahawa Garrison, Nairobi.

The 38-year-old Kiptoo, who captained Team Kenya captain for the 2008 Edinburgh and 2009 Amman World Cross Country Championships, and won the KDF title in 2009, said he hopes to power his Laikipia Air Base team to victory.

“I know things will be tough because of the many youngsters in the race but I have been there before and I know what to do,” said Kiptoo, who rallied his teammates including defending champion Leonard Oloitiptip to go for the team title in the race.

Besides Oloitiptip, Kiptoo is up against upcoming athletes from other military formations in the likes of Linus Chumba and Kiplimo Mutai. Others are the 2010 World Cross Country champion Joseph Ebuya and 2007 World Cross country junior silver medallist Vincent Kiprop.

“I want to concentrate on Cross Country first before thinking about anything else,” said Kiptoo, who is eyeing a return to the World Cross Country Championships for the first time since Amman. “It won’t be easy to make the national team but anything can happen and I will take that with honour if I am to make it to the team,” explained the 2012 Africa 5,000m champion.

However, Kiptoo, who won silver in 10,000m at the 2012 Africa Championships and boasts of two gold medals in 5,000m from the 2007 and 2011 World Military Games, said he is through with track racing. “Speeds tend to go down when you turn to road racing. I will only compete in 5,000m to gauge my speed in readiness for road races,” said Kiptoo, the 2010 Delhi Commonwealth Games 5,000m bronze medallist.

Kiptoo made his marathon debut in Frankfurt in 2013 where he presented a strong challenge to Vincent Kipruto before finishing second in 2:06:16. He competed at the 2014 Paris Marathon in April where a tendon injury forced him to settle for a disappointing ninth place in 2:13:57 in a race won by debutante Ethiopian Kenenisa Bekele in a course record time of 2:05:03.

Kiptoo would claim his maiden victory at the 2014 Frankfurt Marathon clocking 2:06:49 as he guided fellow countrymen to a podium sweep. He was 10 seconds ahead of Mike Kigen. Gilbert Yegon was a further nine seconds behind in third.