Steeplechase champion Kigen hopes all Kenyans make 3,000m final
By Amos Abuga, October 1, 2019
African Games 3,000m steeplechase champion Benjamin Kigen is hoping all four Kenyans in the race will reach the finals of the ongoing World Athletics Championships in Doha, Qatar.
Kigen will be lining in the 6.15pm (Kenyan time) heats alongside World and Olympics champion Conseslus Kipruto, Leonard Bett and Abraham Kibiwott, with hopes that the four of them will advance to Friday’s final.
Kigen, who is also the national men’s 3,000m steeplechase title holder, says despite many ruling out Kenya in the water and hurdles event, their hunger for glory will push them to do better.
“The tactic is simple, we all advance to the finals. The plan is to work towards helping one of us win gold in the finals,” said Kigen, who defeated Ethiopia’s Wale Getnet and Morocco’s Soufiane El Bakkali to silver and bronze respectively in Rabat, Morocco in August.
“Soufiane and Wale have been in great form this season but defeating them when it mattered definitely affected them.
We are hoping to pick up and hand them another defeat,” added Kigen, who also believes Kipruto, who has been under the scrutiny over his poor form, is well prepared.
“If there is an athlete who knows what it takes to win is Kipruto. I laugh when I see people writing him off,” said the 26-year-old, who hails from Baringo County and is coached by Isaac Rono.