News25 Jan 2005


Kipruto - the Crown Prince of Steeplechase

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Brimin Kipruto runs to 2004 World Junior 1500m bronze (© Getty Images)

Think back to the 3000m Steeplechase at last summer’s Athens Olympics. There Kenya won their only gold medal and celebrated their first medal clean sweep since Barcelona 1992. Ezekiel Kemboi benefiting from the absence of Kenyan born Qatari Saif Saaeed Shaheen obtained the Olympic victory but who was second in the race? It was a 19 year-old boy by the name of Brimin Kipruto, an athlete who was in his first international season, the crown prince of the event.

Kipruto first stepped into the limelight when he won a silver medal at the 2001 IAAF World Youth Championships in Hungary at 2000m Steeplechase. After finishing school at the end of 2003 he proved his ability after just a few months of serious training, alongside established names like Eliud Kipchoge and Richard Limo.

No Olympic nerves

Kipruto started the 2004 season with an impressive victory (8:05.52) at the Hengelo Grand Prix when he was just only 18 years and 10 months-old, and qualified for the World Junior Championships in Italy where he won the bronze medal at 1500m (3:35.96). At the Kenyan Olympic trials he placed second behind Kemboi over the 28 barrier and seven water jumps, and repeated the same position in Athens in the Olympic final.

Asked if he was nervous when he saw the Olympic stadium full of spectators his answer came with a big smile on his face: “It was very nice, the whole atmosphere, all those people in the stadium making a lot of noise. It was fantastic running in front of such a big crowd. I really enjoyed”.

Coach Joseph Chelimo added: “He is a very polite young man. He still lives at his father’s home...but when it comes to his running abilities, he doesn’t underestimate himself.”

In the beginning…

Kipruto grew up in a small village by the name of Korkitony, 22 kilometres north of Iten, one of the most important athletics centres in Kenya. The area is famous for St. Patrick’s High School where stars like Peter Rono, Wilson Kipketer, Japhet Kimutai and the Chirchir brothers were schooled and benefited from the experience of an Irish coach, Brother Colm O’Connell.

Third born of a large family of four boys and six girls, Kipruto is the only one who has became a runner. His primary teacher who was struck by his talent, motivated him to train, and in December 1999 Kipruto joined the youth camp at St. Patrick’s Iten where every year O’Connell organises two training camps during the school holidays. That is when he first became familiar with a proper training system, training three times a day.

At the end of 2003 after finishing Secondary School at Kipsoen, Kipruto signed a contract with athlete manager Jos Hermens, and joined the camp near Kaptagat. There he benefited for an experienced coach in the person of Joseph Chelimo but also a high-ranking adviser, Patrick Sang, a former Olympic and two times World championships silver medallist at the Steeplechase.
 
I totally forgot to attack Kemboi

“The coach told me early in 2004 that I could qualify for Athens and that’s why we decided to run the 1500m at the World Juniors’ as a kind of a build-up and speed work," confirmed Kipruto. 

The rest is history. When the three Kenyans entered the home straight in the Olympic final in Athens, Kipruto was holding second position very comfortably. Looking back Kipruto admits that he probably could have even won the gold.

“With 30 metres to go I was so happy with the silver that I totally forgot to attack Kemboi.” But looking back he can laugh, knowing that Athens was only his first chance of becoming an Olympic champion.

World record ambitions

Coach Chelimo believes that there is still a lot of space for improvement.

“Running 8:05 in his first Grand Prix tells a lot about Brimin's potential. His technique is not very good at the moment and his speed can improve, too. I am sure Brimin has a very bright future. My goal is that he runs under 8 minutes this year (2005). He will participate at one or two 1500m indoor races and probably also the short cross at the Kenyan nationals.”

Kipruto adds with a natural self-confidence: “In the course of 2005 or the next year I hope to be able to break the World record and bring it back to Kenya – where it belongs”.

Jürg Wirz for the IAAF

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