52nd Ostrava Golden Spikes - IAAF World Challenge 2013Jun 26, 2013 by Mitch Kastoff
18-Year Old Kipruto Targets Steeple World Record in Ostrava
18-Year Old Kipruto Targets Steeple World Record in Ostrava
Event: IAAF World Challenge/Ostrava Golden Spike
Race: Men's Steeplechase
Athlete to Watch: Conseslus Kipruto (see all entries)
Date: Thursday, June 27, 2013
Time: 2:15pm ET (meet schedule)
Watch Live on Flotrack (starting at 12:30pm ET)
The future of the men’s 3000m steeplechase looks bright. The present does, too.
Kenya’s 18-year-old Conseslus Kipruto heads to the 52nd Ostrava Golden Spike with four things in mind. The first is the win and the next three are all records.
“The goals for this season are the world junior record of [Saif] Shaheen and the World Championships in Moscow,” Kipruto told EME News.
If the weather permits, Kipruto could improve his world leading time 8:01.16 and make a bit of history. The first mark that could go down is Paul Koech’s meet record of 8:02.55. The loftier goal would be Saif Shaheen’s (Qatar) world junior record of 7:58.66 from ’01.
The loftiest goal would be Shaheen’s world record of 7:53.63.
For the last nine years, that mark has stood some daring assaults and close-calls. In 2012, Koech (Kenya) came within a second of becoming the world record holder with his 7:54.31 win in Rome. In 2011, Brimin Kipruto (Kenya) was a sneeze away from erasing Shaheen’s name with a 7:53.64 win in Monaco. Yes, 0.01.
How important is the 3000mST world record to the Kenyans? Let’s just say that when a country has won every 3000m ST gold medal in every Olympic Games in which they’ve participated, then yes, it’s kind of a big deal. It’s basically the United State’s equivalent of an Olympic gold medal in men’s basketball.
1972 never happened.
To add even more drama, the record could have belonged to a Kenyan. Shaheen, formerly known as Stephen Cherono, changed citizenship from Kenya to Qatar in ’03 after being offered “an attractive financial package, including the guarantee of a $1,000 stipend for the rest of his life.” Following the switch, there was plenty of drama in the form of a sibling rivalry races and international eligibility.
The Kenyans would like to have their record back and they have a good shot in Kipruto.
The junior phenom is in the middle of a dream season where he’s won three Diamond League meetings and beat “all the steeple greats.” That includes Olympic bronze medalist and number two in the world Koech (in Shanghai and Prefontaine) and two-time Olympic and World Championship gold medalist Ezekiel Kemboi. You may remember his race with Kemboi at Pre this year (see homepage photo).
There was some drama.
Still, the junior feels that he has more in the tank.
“I am grateful Ostrava is recognizing my achievements and that they are willing to stage a fast race,” Kipruto added. “I am told Ostrava has a fast track and a great crowd. I am looking forward to meet you all.”
What Records Will Fall in Ostrava?
Based on the data, it’s hard to tell when the world record will fall. When Shaheen ran the mark in ’04, he had run 8:01.97 and 8:00.60 leading up to the 7:53.63. When Kipruto came oh-so-close, he had run 8:02.28 and 8:05.40 before his big breakthrough.
In his three steeples this year, Kipruto has run 8:01.16 (personal best in Shanghai), 8:03.59 (Prefontaine), and 8:04.48 (Oslo). He may not have the speed as the other all-time greats (he ran 3:39.57 on June 8th), but he has the strength as evidenced by a fifth place showing in the junior men’s World Cross Country Championship.
For the younger Kipruto to have a shot, the pacing will have to be perfect.
Italian blogger Alberto Stretti reports that rabbits are set to go through 1k in 2:35 and 5:16 for 2k. That’s 2:38 per K. That’s right on pace to challenge the WR.
If you want any more inside information on Kipruto (like his humility) or his training (an emphasis on hills), then read Justin Lagat's piece about him in RunBlogRun.
Can Conseslus add a 14th world record to Ostrava’s impressive list? The world junior record looks set to go down, but the world record will take an unprecedented and lonely last kilometer.
Race: Men's Steeplechase
Athlete to Watch: Conseslus Kipruto (see all entries)
Date: Thursday, June 27, 2013
Time: 2:15pm ET (meet schedule)
Watch Live on Flotrack (starting at 12:30pm ET)
The future of the men’s 3000m steeplechase looks bright. The present does, too.
Kenya’s 18-year-old Conseslus Kipruto heads to the 52nd Ostrava Golden Spike with four things in mind. The first is the win and the next three are all records.
“The goals for this season are the world junior record of [Saif] Shaheen and the World Championships in Moscow,” Kipruto told EME News.
If the weather permits, Kipruto could improve his world leading time 8:01.16 and make a bit of history. The first mark that could go down is Paul Koech’s meet record of 8:02.55. The loftier goal would be Saif Shaheen’s (Qatar) world junior record of 7:58.66 from ’01.
The loftiest goal would be Shaheen’s world record of 7:53.63.
For the last nine years, that mark has stood some daring assaults and close-calls. In 2012, Koech (Kenya) came within a second of becoming the world record holder with his 7:54.31 win in Rome. In 2011, Brimin Kipruto (Kenya) was a sneeze away from erasing Shaheen’s name with a 7:53.64 win in Monaco. Yes, 0.01.
How important is the 3000mST world record to the Kenyans? Let’s just say that when a country has won every 3000m ST gold medal in every Olympic Games in which they’ve participated, then yes, it’s kind of a big deal. It’s basically the United State’s equivalent of an Olympic gold medal in men’s basketball.
1972 never happened.
To add even more drama, the record could have belonged to a Kenyan. Shaheen, formerly known as Stephen Cherono, changed citizenship from Kenya to Qatar in ’03 after being offered “an attractive financial package, including the guarantee of a $1,000 stipend for the rest of his life.” Following the switch, there was plenty of drama in the form of a sibling rivalry races and international eligibility.
The Kenyans would like to have their record back and they have a good shot in Kipruto.
The junior phenom is in the middle of a dream season where he’s won three Diamond League meetings and beat “all the steeple greats.” That includes Olympic bronze medalist and number two in the world Koech (in Shanghai and Prefontaine) and two-time Olympic and World Championship gold medalist Ezekiel Kemboi. You may remember his race with Kemboi at Pre this year (see homepage photo).
There was some drama.
Still, the junior feels that he has more in the tank.
“I am grateful Ostrava is recognizing my achievements and that they are willing to stage a fast race,” Kipruto added. “I am told Ostrava has a fast track and a great crowd. I am looking forward to meet you all.”
What Records Will Fall in Ostrava?
Based on the data, it’s hard to tell when the world record will fall. When Shaheen ran the mark in ’04, he had run 8:01.97 and 8:00.60 leading up to the 7:53.63. When Kipruto came oh-so-close, he had run 8:02.28 and 8:05.40 before his big breakthrough.
In his three steeples this year, Kipruto has run 8:01.16 (personal best in Shanghai), 8:03.59 (Prefontaine), and 8:04.48 (Oslo). He may not have the speed as the other all-time greats (he ran 3:39.57 on June 8th), but he has the strength as evidenced by a fifth place showing in the junior men’s World Cross Country Championship.
For the younger Kipruto to have a shot, the pacing will have to be perfect.
Italian blogger Alberto Stretti reports that rabbits are set to go through 1k in 2:35 and 5:16 for 2k. That’s 2:38 per K. That’s right on pace to challenge the WR.
If you want any more inside information on Kipruto (like his humility) or his training (an emphasis on hills), then read Justin Lagat's piece about him in RunBlogRun.
Can Conseslus add a 14th world record to Ostrava’s impressive list? The world junior record looks set to go down, but the world record will take an unprecedented and lonely last kilometer.