Olympic 3,000m steeplechase champion Conseslus Kipruto will be out to fine-tune his preparations for the World Championships when he lines up for the Rabat Diamond League on Sunday, June 5 at the Prince Moulay Abdella Stadium in Morocco.

The 27-year-old has, however, said he has battled depression demons and is now ready to bounce back to the top. He wants to repay the faith fans, coaches and training partners have had in him during the struggle by winning titles. 

“I want to go to Rabat where my target is to run under eight minutes,” Kipruto told People Sport.

Kipruto admitted he has struggled psychologically, which has led to subpar performances, including an abject race during the national trials for the Tokyo Olympics in June last year. 

“I want to run in many competitions between now and July so that I can be best prepared to defend my title in Oregon. I want the world to know that I am back. The target right now is to improve in every race in which I compete,” the 2016 Olympic champion said.

Kipruto won the gold medal in the steeplechase event at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.

He followed his victory in the Brazilian city of Rio De Janeiro by winning the race at the 2016 Summer Olympics and in the 2019 World Championships in London. Last year he defended his steeplechase Diamond Trophy, despite finishing the final without a left shoe.

The Rio 2016 gold medallist was mid-race in Zurich when his running spike went tumbling out of the pack into lane two.

He threw all of his remaining energy, into one final lop-sided 50m surge, narrowly edging El Bakkali on the line to claim the race and season honours. 

Bronze medalist

In Rabat Kipruto will battle world bronze medalist Soufiane El Bakkali from Morocco, Ethiopia’s Girma Lamecha, his compatriots Wilberforce Kones, Benjamin Kigen, USA’s Hillary Bor among others in the 3,000m steeplechase race.

Edna Jebitok will be the only Kenyan in the 1,500m race which has favourites of Great Britain’s Courtney Melissa, Australia’s Hall Linden, Ethiopia’s Alemu Habitam, Hailu Freweyni and Uganda’s Winnie Nanyondo among others.

In the 800m men’s category Kenya’s Collins Kipruto, Ferguson Rotich, Emmanuel Wanyonyi, Emmanuel Korir and Michael Saruni will face off with Botswana’s Nijel Amos and Morocco’s Elquesse Abdelati among others.