Kipruto: This is just the beginning

What you need to know:

  • It was Kipruto's second gold medal in just a year after his exploits at the Rio Olympic Games where he won in a championship record time of 8:03.28.
  • Kipruto, who won the 2011 World Youth and 2012 World Junior titles in the steeplechase, ranks second on the all-time junior lists with 8:01.16.

IN LONDON
Olympic and world 3,000m steeplechase champion Conseslus Kipruto says he will not rest until he breaks the elusive world record besides chalking up at least two more world titles.

Kipruto spoke after winning Kenya’s third gold medal here on Tuesday night, specifying that he will attempt to break the 12-year-old world record at the season-closing IAAF Diamond League meeting in Brussels.

Kenyan-born Saif Saaeed Shaheen of Qatar (formerly Stephen Cherono) holds the world record at seven minutes, 53.63 seconds set in 2004, also in Brussels.

“The world record is my next target in Brussels if my ankle injury will have healed well and with good weather,” said Kipruto, who has a personal best of 8:00.12 minutes set at the Birmingham Diamond League event in 2016.

Kipruto said even though he has won four major steeplechase titles including the 2011 World Youth Championships, 2012 World Junior Championships, 2016 Rio Olympics and the world title, he will also take a shot at the Commonwealth Games crown next April in Australia and later the Africa title in Nigeria in July next year.

“Despite the ankle injury, I still feel strong to end the year on a high note in Brussels.”

“I have to utilise this opportunity and form to achieve what I don’t have,” said Kipruto after handing Kenya its sixth successive world title, which brought to 12th the number of times Kenyans have won the water and barriers race.

Kenya only missed out on the two opening editions in 1983 and 1987 and in 2003 and 2005 when Shaheen won.

With compatriots defending champion Ezekiel Kemboi and Jairus Birech not in good shape, Kipruto said he could not have withstood the embarrassment of seeing Kenya’s steeplechase legacy broken in a final that he was taking part.

“It couldn’t have been heart-breaking featuring in a script where Kenya failed and that is why I was ready to die on the track defending our steeplechase tradition,” said Kipruto, adding that he almost threw in the towel with two laps to go owing to the painful right ankle.

“I vowed not to let it go after Kemboi handed the baton to me at Rio Olympics,” said Kipruto.

“I was a worried man the night before the race with an injury and the challenge but I woke up in high spirits, telling myself that I had to do something good, being the Olympic champion.”

Kipruto upheld Kenya’s dominance but after surviving a scare from American Evan Jager.

The American took over the lead at the 2,000m mark in 5:35.66 minutes with Kipruto, defending champion Ezekiel Kemboi and Moroccan Souffiane Elbakkali in hot pursuit.

Jager, the Olympic 3,000m silver medallist, hit the bell in the lead at 7:11.50 but Kipruto injected some pace to the race home straight.

Kipruto, who had won silver medals at the 2013 and 2015 World Championships, had the luxury of teasing the field and waving to the packed arena before winning in 8:14.12.

Elbakkali went for silver in 8:14.49 as Jager claimed bronze in 8:15.53. Kemboi, who was out to win a record fifth title, finished 11th in 8:29.38.

It was Kipruto's second gold medal in just a year after his exploits at the Rio Olympic Games where he won in a championship record time of 8:03.28.

Kipruto, who won the 2011 World Youth and 2012 World Junior titles in the steeplechase, ranks second on the all-time junior lists with 8:01.16.