•Kipruto tipped Kipchoge to spearhead Kenya’s lofty hunt for a podium sweep but vowed to give him a run for his money.
•Kipruto heads to the Games buoyed by impressive credentials as the winner of the Boston Marathon in 2021, the Chicago Marathon in 2022, and the Tokyo Marathon earlier this year.
Image: XINHUA
The 2024 Tokyo Marathon champion Benson Kipruto reckons he has polished his act satisfactorily to reap immensely at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
Kipruto emphatically stated his desire to light up the French capital with a sublime performance.
“I’m looking forward to competing in the Paris Games. Being named to the team is a great privilege and I cherish the rare chance to represent the country in the Olympics,” Kipruto stated.
“I’m ready to fight bravely for my country. I believe I’m in good shape and ready to make the nation proud in Paris,” he added.
Kipruto said the thought of being on the same team as his role model Eliud Kipchoge fascinates him a lot, adding that the double Olympic champion has always been his key source of inspiration.
The duo mske up the quintet of Kenyan male marathoners tasked with flying the country’s flag at the quadrennial global multisport showpiece set for July 26 to August 11.
Kipruto tipped Kipchoge to spearhead Kenya’s lofty hunt for a podium sweep but vowed to give him a run for his money.
“He is a brilliant athlete, one who has always inspired me a great deal. I desire to be as great as him and step into his shoes once he calls time on his career,” Kipruto remarked.
Kipruto reiterated an earlier call made by his teammates for a concerted effort, pointing out it was the only way to ensure a podium sweep.
“I believe in the strength of team effort. Away from competition, we train together reside in the same camp, and interact like a family. I don’t see what should prevent us from going for an Olympic as a team,” Kipruto stated.
He said they would do away with their pre-race favourites tag to stave off complacency, adding that it would be tactically suicidal to underrate their opponents.
Kenya will be defending the title that Kipchoge stashed away at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics in Japan and Kipruto has tipped the nation to replicate the feat in the French capital.
“We can’t afford to head to the competition with a superior mentality. I’ll appreciate that we have a solid team but we should be careful not to take our opponents for granted,” Kipruto said. “Marathon is a tricky venture and anything is bound to happen in competition,” he added.
Kipruto heads to the Games buoyed by impressive credentials as the winner of the Boston Marathon in 2021, the Chicago Marathon in 2022, and the Tokyo Marathon earlier this year.