‘Lightweight’ Kibet looks to punch above his weight in Paris

His nickname ‘Kipterter’ from Kipsigis dialect of Kalenjin language loosely translates to ‘a lightweight’ or ‘someone very light.’

However, 10,000 metres runner, Bernard Kibet, is out to literally punch above his weight with Team Kenya at the 2024 Olympic Games.

The 24-year-old earned the nickname from his thin frame. He weighs 41 kilogrammes, and he is least bothered by it.

“I am not bothered by the nickname. When people call me Kipterter, I just laugh and go about my training,” he says.

Lanky athlete

Together with fellow Kenyan athletes Daniel Mateiko and Nicholas Kimeli, the lanky athlete will attempt to end Kenya’s 56-year wait for gold medal in men’s 10,000 metres race at the Olympics.

Naftali Temu was the first and last Kenyan to win gold medal in men’s 10,000m at the Olympics when he triumphed at the 1968 Games in Mexico.

Since then, Kenya has endured a 56-year title drought in the 24-lap race. He believes searing pace and team work could be the solution to burning his opponents in the race.

“I believe the last kick is what matters most. It will make all the difference, and that is what I have been working on in case it comes to that. Again, we must work as a team to deliver the elusive gold medal,” Kibet told Nation Sport in Eldoret on Saturday.

Kenya’s struggles in men’s 10,000m go beyond the Olympics. Kamathi was the last man to win a gold medal for Kenya in the 10,000m at the World Athletics Championships when he triumphed in the 2001 championships in Edmonton, Canada.

Kenya is yet to reclaim the title. Kenya’s middle and long distance athletes have been training for the Olympic Games at High Altitude Performance Training Centre in Eldoret for the past one month.

Kibet qualified to compete at the Olympics in men’s 10,000m race during the Kenyan trials held in Prefontaine Classic Diamond League meeting on May 25 at Hayward Field in Oregon, USA, where he finished third.

The Japan-based athlete finished in fifth in men’s 10,000m final at the 2023 World Athletics Championships in Budapest, Hungary.

He reckons he is ready to battle some of the finest athletes over the distance, and the enormity of the task ahead is not lost in him.

“Some of the competitors we shall compete against are tough. The likes of Selemon Barega from Ethiopia, Ugandans Jacob Kiplimo and Joshua Cheptegei are some of the athletes we are going to meet in Paris,” the24-year-old told Nation Sport in Eldoret at the weekend.

Inspired

Kibet who works for Kyudenko Company in Japan, said that he was inspired to take up athletics by his teammate Paul Tanui in 2016 as the athlete was preparing for the Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games. Tanui finished second .

“Tanui is my friend. He he has been encouraging me to work extra hard to attain what he missed in his career, gold medal, because at the 2026 Olympics, he finished second in the 10,000m race. We have been talking and discussing how to execute the race, which he also admitted will be very competitive,” added Kibet.

The soft-spoken athlete had intended to be a teacher before pursuing athletics. He currently holds the 10-mile record of 44:04 he clocked at the Kosa 10-Miler in December 2022.
Tanui said Kibet is a hard working athlete who is focused and can surprise the world at the Olympic Games.

"Kibet is at the peak of his career, and having trained with him, I believe he will pull a surprise and deliver a medal for Kenya. We have been talking with him and I encouraged him to go for the medal that I missed when I was in track," Tanui, who is now a road runner said.