CLEAN SWEEP! Kipruto leads Kenyan 1-2-3 in steeplechase

From left: Bronze medallist Kenya's Amos Kirui, gold medallist Kenya's Conseslus Kipruto and silver medallist Kenya's Abraham Kibiwott celebrate after the athletics men's 3000m steeplechase final during the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games at the Carrara Stadium on the Gold Coast on April 13, 2018. PHOTO | ADRIAN DENNIS |

What you need to know:

  • Kibiwott clocked 8:10.62 for silver with Kirui claiming bronze it on the line in 8:12.24, beating Canadian Matthew Hughes to fourth in 8:12.33.
  • The previous Game Record of 8:10.44 was set by Jonathan Muia in 2014 Glasgow.

IN GOLD COAST

There could be no better way to put country before self than how world and Olympic steeplechase champion Conseslus Kipruto did by adding the Commonwealth Games gold medal to his rich collection Friday night.

Well inside the championship record and on the way to an impressive time at the Carrara Stadium here, the 23-year-old policeman almost stopped, literally, with about 50 metres to the finish line to urge his team-mates Abraham Kibiwott and Amos Kiruit on, the Kenyan trio completing a clean, 1-2-3 sweep and maintaining the country’s enviable steeplechase tradition.

Kenya's Conseslus Kipruto (right, gold) and Kenya's Abraham Kibiwott (silver) celebrate after the athletics men's 3000m steeplechase final during the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games at the Carrara Stadium on the Gold Coast on April 13, 2018. PHOTO | SAEED KHAN | AFP

Kenya's Conseslus Kipruto wins the athletics men's 3000m steeplechase final during the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games at the Carrara Stadium on the Gold Coast on April 13, 2018. PHOTO | SAEED KHAN | AFP

Kenya's Conseslus Kipruto celebrates winning the athletics men's 3000m steeplechase final during the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games at the Carrara Stadium on the Gold Coast on April 13, 2018. PHOTO | SAEED KHAN | AFP

The pressure was high with critics back in Kenya and here alike – including numerous WhatsApp groups - tearing into Team Kenya’s “shoddy” performance with just the one gold medal from Wycliffe Kimanyal in the 800m the previous night to show.

But despite sacrificing the clock, Kipruto still went under compatriot Jonathan Ndiku’s Games record, his time of eight minutes, 10.08 seconds some 36 seconds better than Ndiku’s set in Glasgow four years ago.

Kibiwott took silver in 8:10.62 with Kirui settling for bronze in 8:12.24.

“I didn’t just want victory for myself,” Kipruto said.

“I didn’t want to leave my team-mates behind to be defeated…even you saw by yourself.

“I kept telling them to push the pace, then when I saw they were tired, I made one strong push in the final lap and the started controlling the pace,” said Kipruto, who won gold at the Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games in 2016 and followed up with a world title in London last year.

Kenya's Conseslus Kipruto and Kenya's Abraham Kibiwott compete in the athletics men's 3000m steeplechase final during the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games at the Carrara Stadium on the Gold Coast on April 13, 2018. PHOTO | ADRIAN DENNIS | AFP

He was silver medallist twice at the World Championships in Moscow (2013) and Beijing (2015).

Interestingly, Kipruto started off in football, playing as a striker before taking shifting to the track.

He ran his first major race as a standard six pupil in Lelmokwo, finishing last, taunted and lapped in the 10,000 metres.

But he soldiered on.

“I’m extremely happy for the win and dedicate my victory to my country, Kenya.

“Because we had a lot of pressure when we started these Commonwealth Games and went without a medal until last night.

“I’d like to thank officials, coaches, the Cabinet Secretary (Rashid Echesa) who is here, government officials who have joined us and all Kenyans… I’m also proud of myself!

“Last night on social media, everyone was urging me on and I didn’t want to let them down.

Kibiwott fought a gallant race for silver, twisting his ankle after the last barrier.

“I hurt my ankle but didn’t want to stop because the finish line was near.

“My wife and mother had called me to encourage me today and I didn’t want to let them down,” said Kibiwott, who trains with gold medallist Kipruto in the athletics-rich Mosoriot, Nandi County.

Interestingly, Kirui said they had planned to grab a 1-2-3 finish with Conseslus taking the gold, Kibiwott the silver and himself the bronze.

“Conseslus kept talking to us and told us how we should run,” he said.

“In the last few metres, he gave us the morale to go for the gold,” said the 20-year-old Kirui, the new kid on the block.

Sports Principal Secretary Kirimi Kaberia, who was with Echesa on the terraces close to the finish line, was besides himself with joy, breaking into tears of joy as the Kenyan trio reached for the flag to launch their lap of honour before a full audience.

The Kenyan corner here screamed themselves hoarse as Canadian Matthew Hughes appeared likely to break the Kenyan sweep and there was a collective sigh of relief when Kirui dipped in just before the diving Canadian for the bronze.

What a race!

Full results of the steeplechase final:

1. Conseslus Kipruto (Kenya) 8:10.08

2. Abraham Kibiwott (Kenya) 8:10.62

3. Amos Kirui (Kenya) 8:12.62

4. Matthew Hughes (Canada) 8:12.33

5. Albert Chemutai (Uganda) 8:19.89 (PB)

6. Jonathan Hopkins (Wales) 8:34.12

7. Ieuan Thomas (Wales) 8:40.02

8. Adam Kirk-Smith (Nothern Ireland) 8:48.40

9. James Nipperess (Australia) 8:58.16

10. Simon Charley (Vanuatu) 10:03.08