Former steeplechase champion Moses Kiptanui torn between Kemboi and Kipruto

BY OMULO OKOTH

Former three-time world 3,000m steeplechase champion, Moses Kiptanui, is torn between his protégé Ezekiel Kemboi and the new kid on the block, Conseslus Kipruto on who will win the title in Moscow next month.

“If the race is slow and tactical, Kemboi will definitely win. He is a very cunning runner. But if the race is fast, this young man (Kipruto) will win. He is  stronger,” Kiptanui told FeverPitch.

“But Kipruto must be careful because Kemboi is most likely to be the one who will control the speed,” said the winner of the water and barrier race in Tokyo (1991), Stuttgart (1993) and Goteborg (1995).

Kiptanui had a brilliant athletics career between 1989 and 2000. He broke seven world records and an Olympic silver medal in Atlanta (1996) during the decade-long career. He was a key plank in the star-studded Kim International Management group, which was based in Teddington, London, and later transformed itself to Pace Sports Management.

Kiptanui believes Kipruto can even break the world record, currently held by Kenyan-born Qatari, Saif Saaeed Shaheen (7:53.63). Kemboi has run the season’s fastest when he did 7:59.03 in Paris on July 6.

“Kenyans will still dominate the steeplechase because the world have psychologically resigned to Kenyans’ supremacy,” said Kiptanui.

However, he called on better coaching of the athletes and recommended that Athletics Kenya (AK) should take coaches for specialised coaching in the UK.

Never shy to speak out his mind, Kiptanui lashed out at AK for using the appointment of coaches as a political tool.

“Coaches should be selected on merit and not to be used as (AK) officials’ stooges,” he said.

“Even (world record holder and Olympic champion) David Rudisha can still improve on his world record (1:40.91) if his coaches can sharpen their tactics and techniques,” he said.

Kiptanui said he now divides his time between running his real estate and dairy farming businesses and preaching.

“I have slowed down on athletics although I often meet some athletes like Kemboi, (Silas) Kiplagat and (Thomas) Longosiwa. But I am now more into preaching,” he said. Kiptanui built Torongo AIC Church on his expansive land in Cheranganyi.