I will race in honor of Kiptum at the Paris Olympic Games – Benson Kipruto
By Vincent Voiyoh, April 23, 2024The 2024 Tokyo Marathon champion Benson Kipruto says it will be special to race in the Paris Olympics in honour of world men’s marathon record holder Kelvin Kiptum who died in a road crush last February.
According to Kipruto who has won three Major Marathons in the world it will be nostalgic to dedicate his medal to his fallen friend Kiptum who was looking forward to making his Olympics debut in the French capital before his heartbreaking and unfortunate demise near his hometown in Elgeyo Marakwet.
Kipruto,33, is one of the five Kenyan marathoners listed in the provisional squad by Athletics Kenya and will be competing at the Summer Games subject to final selection.
“Personally if I am selected I will be running in his honour (Kiptum). I raced with him in Chicago and I know the kind of a person he was. He was so friendly, we shared a lot, and for sure, I will be racing in his honour. It will be so special to me and not only me but for Kenyans to see different champions having a gold medal in honour of Kiptum will be so nice for the country,” Kipruto told People Sport.
Kipruto finished second last year in the Chicago Marathon, a race that left the world mesmerized as Kelvin Kiptum stylishly smashed the world record by clocking a resounding 2:00:35.
Based on the times registered by Kipruto, he is likely to make the cut into the final three Kenyan marathoners for Paris 2024 having the world lead over the distance this year after timing a personal best of 2:02:16 in Tokyo, Japan last month.
The Nandi-based long distance runner training under the Two Running Club says his target is a podium finish in Paris and could spoil the party for the global marathon icon Eliud Kipchoge who is searching for a third consecutive gold medal at the games.
“It feels good to represent my country there in Paris. I have been racing different marathons in the world but this one means a lot to my career, it is amazing and my target is for a podium finish. I have no pressure at all.”
Kipruto who made his Marathon debut in 2016 at the Athens Classic Marathon in Greece expressed his eagerness to race with Kipchoge once again.
“Eliud is a great runner, a great Olympian and I am following his footsteps. If he (Eliud) is going to win his third gold medal at the Olympics then I am going to win the first one. I don’t know how that will happen,” he said with a smiley face.
“It is always nice to race with Eliud and I have been racing with him for about three races now and it is always a collaboration and enjoyable,” he added.
For Kipruto who has now won the Boston Marathon (2021), the Chicago Marathon (2022) and the Tokyo Marathon (2024) the huge task to defend the men’s marathon gold medal in Paris will be more result oriented rather than looking at the clock for records.