Kipruto bags bronze as Ugandan Cheptegei wins 10000m
Kenya's Rhonex Kipruto celebrates finishing third in the Men's 10,000m final at the 2019 IAAF Athletics World Championships at the Khalifa International stadium in Doha on October 6, 2019. PHOTO | ANDREJ ISAKOVIC |
What you need to know:
- Yomif Kejelcha of Ethiopia took silver (26:49.34) and Kenyan Rhonex Kipruto the bronze (26:50.32).
IN DOHA
Kenya’s Rhonex Kipruto timed 26 minutes, 50.32 seconds to claim bronze medal behind Ugandan gold medallist Joshua Cheptegei and silver medallist Yomif Kejelcha at the World Championships in Doha on Sunday.
The 2017 world silver medallist Cheptegei won the race in a world leading time of 26:48.36, followed by Kejelcha in a personal best time of 26:49.34. Kenya’s Rodger Kwemoi (26:55.36) finished fourth as Alex Oloitiptip wound up 11th in 27:28.74.
Kipruto said the medal he won on Sunday will encourage him to work harder.
“I am happy to have put Kenya on the global map with a silver medal, and this this particularly good, going into an Olympics year. This gives me added impetus to work harder next year,” said the 19-year-old.
The 2018 World Under-20 10,000 metres champion was happy to have won a medal on his graduation to the senior ranks.
“This has been a good start for me in the senior category. It means I have the potential to do more. I will go back and work even harder to win a better medal at the 2020 Olympics,” he added.
Kipruto and Kwemoi exchanged the lead and led their opponents for long spells. After 14 laps, Cheptegei threatened but Kwemoi surged forward and retook the lead. But with two laps to go, Cheptegei took over the lead with Kejelcha in tow as the Kenyans dropped to third and fourth.
Kejelcha and Cheptegei engaged in a sprint finish in the last 400 metres, but the Ugandan had the final say. Afterwards, Kipruto said their strategy of running at the front was meant to shield them from getting boxed inside the inner lane.
“We surged to the front from the start to leave everybody else behind, thereby avoiding being boxed inside the inner lanes. I knew Kejelcha and Kipruto have a powerful kick and strong finish,” he said.
The athlete said he will run fewer races next season to avoid suffering a burn-out in an Olympic year.
Oloitiptip said the race proved too fast for him.
“We worked as a team to set a very quick pace, and it bore fruit because one of us got a medal. We have been losing medals due to lack of teamwork,” Oloitiptip said.
The results mean that Kenya’s 17-year wait for men’s 10,000 metres title continues. Kenya last won gold in the race in Edmonton 2001 through Charles Kamathi.
