Ronald Kipchumba Rutto (© Christian Landry Athlimage)
Ronald Kipchumba Rutto has a bit of a dilemma - not that it’s going to keep him awake at night. Does he go for the gold medal in Sunday’s 2000m steeplechase final or go for the gold medal and the world record?
To complicate matters it’s not something he can comfortably share with his roommate, Justus Kipchirchir Kiprono, since his Kenyan teammate is evidently the one athlete in the field that might cause him trouble.
The two 16 year olds have, between them, the three fastest times in the world but have never raced each other until this world championship final. Each won his first round heat on Friday. But it is Rutto who put on the most convincing display of steeplechase running despite a somewhat awkward “technique” over the barriers. He also seemed to have trouble gauging the distance leading up to them. Still his 5:38.03 here served notice that he’s not going to be beaten.
“I could not just go slowly. I could not just go fast. I had problems today because nobody was pushing me,” he said later. “The race was easy for me and I wanted to test these guys and see how strong they are. I realised they were not moving so I decided to go. I used only 60% of my energy.”
Sitting in the stands with an instamatic camera in hand was the head coach of the Kenyan team, Bonaface Tiren, who happens to be Rutto’s personal coach back in Marakwet District. Tiren has coached a procession of world beating runners starting with legendary steeplechaser Moses Kiptanui. Another of his athletes Abraham Chebii
has won two IAAF Golden League meetings in the past week, beating world 5000m and 10,000m record holder Haile Gebrselassie on both occasions. Tiren, in other words, knows his distance running. He believes Rutto will be Kenya’s best ever steeplechaser within three years.
“The thing is he likes listening at all times. He doesn’t do things on his own,” says the jovial coach.”He always like to hear what the coach says and that is the unique thing I have seen. I think he has a great future. He might beat Kiptanui's record for being in the limelight - more than eight years.”
Careful nurturing is how Tiren describes his plans for his latest prodigy. He was entered in the Kenyan junior cross country championship last winter but finished 11th and did not make the team bound for the world cross country championships in Lausanne. Nor did Tiren expect him to.
“We are not in a hurry. I know in two or three years he will be the best in the world!” he declares.
Asked for a prediction of the winning time Rutto offers 5:25 but his coach reminds him the world record is 5:31. So, after careful deliberation, he reluctantly adjusts his response. ”Under 5:30” it is then. Regardless of the outcome, Tiren reveals that his latest prodigy will compete in the Kenyan trials for next month’s IAAF World Championships in Paris. Of course that will be the 3000m steeplechase. Rutto is keen to continue Kenya’s enviable tradition in that event.
“That is the event for Kenyans, the 3000m steeplechase and in three years I want to be world champion and world record holder,” he says, “Since 1968 in Mexico, up to now, Kenyans won the steeplechase every time. World championships - Kenyans win. World Junior - Kenyans win and now world youth - Kenyans win. Most of the region is high altitude. There are mountains and there are valleys so now you can train.”
Like many Kenyan families there are many children in the household. He has four sisters and three brothers who he says are supportive of his athletics career. And in the event of a successful race on Sunday there will be an enormous celebration.
“If I win the gold my family will meet and we will slaughter a sheep,” he says. Bon Appetit!
