Steeplechase king Kipruto to grace AK Championships

World 3,000m steeplechase champion Conseslus Kipruto will be launching his season when he lines up at the Athletics Kenya Track and Field Championships that starts on Tuesday at the Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani in Nairobi.

Kipruto, who has been training in Mosoriot, Nandi County is confident that he has prepared well and will be testing waters in the event that runs until Thursday. 

The 2016 Rio Olympics champion missed the last season due to an injury that forced him to drop out of the race during the national trials in Nairobi last year.

Kipruto is bitter because Kenya lost the Olympic steeplechase title and is ready to reclaim lost glory. 

“I have been training well after my lower back injury healed and my target is to gauge myself during the national championships which normally attracts some of the best athletes in the country,” said Kipruto.

He revealed that he is using the race to prepare for upcoming events such as Kip Keino Classic, where he will be looking forward to bag the title on home soil.

This will also help him sharpen for the upcoming World Championships in Eugene, USA where he will be looking forward to retain his steeplechase title after he narrowly beat Ethiopian Lamecha Girma and Morocco’s Soufiane El Bakkali in Doha in 2019.

El Bakkali bagged the Olympics title in the same distance and would go ahead to win Kip Keino Classic in Nairobi, something that did not amuse Kipruto.

“It’s so sad we were also beaten at home by the Moroccan and I have planned my programme well so that I can reclaim what was snatched from us because it has been our tradition. The race needs some good calculation and that is why Kenya has been dominating for many years since 1964,” added Kipruto.

He will be competing against his training mate and Commonwealth Games silver medalist Abraham Kibiwott, Olympics 3,000m bronze medalist Benjamin Kigen, World Under-20 champion Amos Serem among other top athletes.

Africa 100m record holder Ferdinand Omanyala will also be featuring in the three-day event. 

“National events are important and I will be participating in my race to improve my performance. This is a good build-up ahead of Kip Keino Classic where I will also be looking forward to win the race,” said Omanyala. 

In the 800m race, Mary Moraa will be battling it out with Naomi Korir, Sylvia Chesebe, Emily Tuei among other top contenders.

Athletics Kenya is using the national event to select a team that will represent Kenya at Africa Senior Championships in Mauritius from June 8 to 12.