It's the World Record or nothing for Conseslus Kipruto
What you need to know:
- Kipruto said he will test his body in the Diamond League opening event in Doha on May 3, this year before attempting the World Record either in Rabat, Morocco on June 16 or Monaco on July 12 before the World Championships planned for September 27 to October 6 in Doha, Qatar.
- “The two venues have the best weather for a World Record,” said Kipruto, who will be making his second appearance at the World Cross Country Championships on March 30 in Aarhus, Denmark.
Conseslus Kipruto holds all the 3,0000m steeplechase championship titles, a feat that most elite athletes can only dream about.
However, the Olympic and World champion, who added the Commonwealth, Africa and World Cup gold medals to his collection last year, wants to accomplish one more thing to become a complete athlete.
Besides aiming to run under seven minutes this season, 24-year-old Kipruto, who has a personal best of 8:00.12, seeks to down the 15-year-old World Record of 7:53.63 this year.
“I have two targets this year, to defend my World title in Doha and attempt to break the World Record,” said Kipruto. “We need to reclaim that record from Qatar this year God willing.”
Kenyan-born Saif Saaeed Shaheen of Qatar holds the World Record of 7:53.63 set on September 3, 2004 in Brussels.
World Record
Two Kenyan came closer top breaking it; Brimin Kiprop Kipruto when he ran 7:53.64 on July 22, 2011 in Monaco and Paul Kipsiele Koech, when he cruised to victory in 7:54.31 on May 31, 2012 in Rome.
Kipruto said he will test his body in the Diamond League opening event in Doha on May 3, this year before attempting the World Record either in Rabat, Morocco on June 16 or Monaco on July 12 before the World Championships planned for September 27 to October 6 in Doha, Qatar.
“The two venues have the best weather for a World Record,” said Kipruto, who will be making his second appearance at the World Cross Country Championships on March 30 in Aarhus, Denmark.
Kipruto, who finished fifth in the junior race during the 2013 World Cross Country Championships in Bydgoszcz, Poland, explained that he will use the universal relay race in Aarhus race to gauge his speed.
“I finished the 10km race during the trials in Eldoret and that is a good start for me,” said Kipruto, the 2018 Diamond League Trophy winner.”
I must really plan well if I am to break the World Record.”
Kipruto ran his personal best of 8:00.12 when winning in Birmingham, England on June 5, 2016.
