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NAIROBI (Xinhua) --
Olympic 3,000m steeplechase champion Conseslus
Kipruto of Kenya will make an attempt on the world record in
Monaco in July.
The Commonwealth
Games champion believes his career will be incomplete without
the world record to his name as he wants to go an extra mile
than his mentor Ezekiel Kemboi.
Speaking in Nairobi
on Saturday, Kipruto, who also won the world title in London
last year, says he has set the plan in motion and tested his
fitness in Rome where he won in a season best time of 8:08:40 to
beat Eugene, USA winner Benjamin Kibet (8:10.01) while Doha
winner Chala Beyo (8:11.22) was third.
“The world record
has been in my mind. I know I can run faster and I now have four
weeks to focus on training before attempting the world record in
the Monaco Diamond,” said Kipruto, who boasts a personal best of
8:00.12 from Birmingham in 2016. “I will put all of my effort in
there. I’m ready for it.”
Kipruto said he
started his season early and has been struggling to return to
his best form.
He started off with
win in Gold Coast after returning from injury and believes he
was not ready for action in Shanghai where he failed to finish
his 5,000m.
Kipruto also
believes Kenya has a big reservoir of athletes who will be able
to challenge for medals at the Africa Championships in Asaba,
Nigeria.
Already 25 countries
have confirmed participation in the premier track and field
competition in the continent, in which the top two will secure
direct qualification to the IAAF Continental Cup in Ostrava, the
Czech Republic in September.
Athletics giants
South Africa, Nigeria and Kenya are all presenting large squads
as they move to consolidate their dominant status on the
continent.
South Africa are the
defending champions – having won the last two editions hosted in
Marrakech, Morocco; and Durban, South Africa. |
