3) Conseslus Kipruto
At No.3 is Kenyan Steeplechase runner Conseslus Kipruto. This is another athlete who is making our rankings for the first time, having had a fantastic 2016 that saw him remain undefeated in the Diamond League series.
It was a year that we saw a transfer of power from the old guard to a new one, with Kipruto carrying on his country’s great tradition of producing good Steeplechase runners. When considered that World champion Ezekiel Kemboi is close to retirement, there is no fear, seeing that another worthy successor has emerged.
It wasn’t just that he won in all the Diamond League (DL) cities he competed in ranging from Doha, Rabat, Rome, Monaco and Brussels; it was the manner he won in all legs that endeared him to many. Who wouldn’t have loved the fun he brought to the Birmingham DL, waving to the crowd as he established a big lead over other competitors. It was that easy for him, smashing the Meet Record (MR) and setting a new one of 8:00.12!
There was never a doubt that Kipruto was the favourite to win GOLD at the Olympics, particularly with the tremendous season he has had. He didn’t disappoint as he stormed to victory, even winning with an Olympic Record (OR) of 8:03.28.
Kipruto was so good in 2016 that he owns all top six times in the world this year, in fact seven out of the ten fastest times in the Steeplechase, with only America’s Evan Jager and Jairus Kipchoge Birech joining him in the list of the Top 10 fastest times.
Kipruto is very good and still very young. Although he is yet to go under 8 minutes in his career, it is very likely that he will be doing that soon and possibly attacking Saif Saaeed Shaheen’s long standing World Record (WR) of 7:53.63 which was set in 2004 in Brussels.
Having said this year:“The World Record is on my mind,” it’s hard betting against Kipruto not doing it soon.
