King of steeplechase Kemboi wants to reign just a little longer
Gold medallist Kenya's Conseslus Kipruto (right) celebrates with bronze medallist Kenya's Ezekiel Kemboi after the Rio 2016 Olympic Games Men's 3000m Steeplechase Final at the Olympic Stadium in Rio de Janeiro on August 17, 2016. PHOTO | JEWEL SAMAD |
What you need to know:
- World champ now says London 2017 will be his swansong
- Kemboi calls time on track running only to make a quick u-turn
Ezekiel Kemboi, who announced his retirement from track and field on Wednesday in Rio de Janeiro only to rescind his decision hours later, is no doubt one of the most popular, if not the most successful athletes, that Kenya has ever produced.
He is eccentric and stylish – if his odd haircuts during major championships could be described as such – a showman per excellence who loves to bask in his own limelight, which he does as often as he wins races. And he loves to dance too, which he liberally does whenever he wins a major race.
As is the case with most great athletes, his career has not been without the occasional controversy. Like back in 2012 when he faced an assault case just days to the Olympics.
He would, however, be vindicated and he repaid Kenyans handsomely for their faith in him by winning a gold medal in London, one of the only two that the Kenyan team managed in that poor campaign.
At home and abroad, he is adored by the media because he never misses an opportunity to enjoy himself and to entertain his fans. Days before Team Kenya left for Rio, during the flag presentation ceremony at State House, Nairobi, Kemboi, in his typical element, could not resist the temptation of leaving his seat among the dignitaries to do a small jig when a band that was entertaining guests did a rendition of Emily Chepchumba, a popular song in Rift Valley.
It’s to the sound of this Kalenjin song, composed by one Philip Yegon, that Kemboi has been known to celebrate his major victories on the track in recent times. He first did that famous jig in 2011 in Daegu, South Korea when he won the second of his four back-to-back world championships.
He was at it again when he won his second Olympic title in London four years ago. And three weeks ago, when he danced to the same tune, during that rendezvous with President Uhuru Kenyatta at State House, many interpreted it as a sign of things to come in Rio de Janeiro.
So when he lined up on the track at the start of the men’s 3,000m steeplechase final on Wednesday at the Olympic Stadium, many assumed that the race would culminate in Kemboi’s famous victory dance. After all, he was the reigning world champion and an overwhelming favourite to retain the Olympic title.
But it wasn’t to be. A younger compatriot wouldn’t let it happen again. Conseslus Kipruto’s victory banished Kemboi into a short-lived track and field retirement.
His bid for an unprecedented successful defence of the 3,000m Olympic title shattered, Kemboi felt it was time to make a graceful exit from the grand stage.
“I feel good after a career of 18 years and competing in my fourth Olympics. I’ve done my level best and I just want to say that today I’m officially retiring from athletics,” Kemboi told stunned journalists after the race.
VIOLATED RULES
But a jury set up by the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) stripped him of his consolation prize, an Olympic bronze medal, after ruling that he violated competition rules by stepping out of the track during that race, made him change his mind.
In fact, Kemboi has now promised to come back with vengeance at next year’s World Championships in London.
Kemboi, said he would have hanged his spikes if he had kept the bronze medal.
“I had opted to retire right after the Olympics only if I had come home with this medal…Now I feel that I have to bring back this medal not by protesting again but right on track,” said Kemboi on his Facebook page. “Kemboi is not retired yet and I will be coming to London 2017 to reclaim my medal from France…No limits.”
Kenya’s two-time World 3,000m steeplechase silver medallist Kipruto won the race in Rio in a new Olympic record time of 8 minutes and 03.28 seconds.
(READ: Kipruto stuns Kemboi to win gold)
American Evan Jager won silver in 8:04.28. Kemboi had settled for bronze in 8:08.47 but Mekhissi-Benabbad, who came in fourth would take the honours in 8:11.52 after the French appeal.
It’s not the first time Kemboi hinted about retiring. Kemboi hinted that he would move to marathon just after winning steeplechase gold at the 2012 London Olympics.
