Coach Letting assures that the athlete will be in shape next year.
Usually an impeccable performer on the track, winning three world titles and an Olympic gold medal along the way, 2017 is a year Asbel Kiprop will want to quickly forget.
The track and field season is over and has placed Kiprop nowhere near his flawless performance in over a decade.
At the 2016 Rio Olympic Games, Kiprop’s preparations were hampered by a series of interruptions after his manager, Federico Rosa, was arrested and charged over doping allegations in his Rosa Associati management, a camp Kiprop joined in 2008. The charges were later dropped.
On numerous occasions, he had to cut short his training programme to attend his manager’s court sessions in Nairobi and even led his fellow Rosa Associati athletes in a press conference where they protested the charging of their manager.
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In the end, Kiprop, who was an overwhelming favourite in the Olympics, finished sixth place in the final that was won by American Matthew Centrowitz. Algerian Taoufik Makhloufi finished second and New Zealand’s Nicholas Willis won the bronze medal.
Fast forward to 2017 and the 28-year-old impressively delivered Kenya's first gold medal in mix relays at the IAAF World Cross Country in Kampala, Uganda, alongside Bernard Kipkorir, Winfred Nzisa, and Beatrice Chepkoech.
He missed the track season opener (Doha Diamond League), but competed in the Eugene Prefontaine Classic Diamond League’s one mile, where he finished 13th in 3:58.24.
Following his dismal show in Eugene, the Uasin Gishu-born skipped Norway’s Oslo meeting before finishing fourth at the Stockholm Diamond League leg. He crossed the line in 3:33.17.
The Kenyan star also missed the Lausanne Diamond League in July. At the London Anniversary Games, Kiprop featured in the men’s 800m, where he posted 1:44.43 in a third-placed finish.
He continued with his substandard show in Monaco, where he finished 11th in 3:34.91.
Before heading to this year's IAAF World Championships in London, Kiprop, who has been a dominating figure in 1,500m, announced his intention of trying his luck in the longer races - 5,000m from next season, with Commonwealth Games next April in Australia being his main focus.
However, his coach David Letting said: “We have yet to plan for next season. Preparations will start next month, but let me assure his fans that Kiprop will be in good shape. Just expect good performance starting with the Commonwealth Games."
Kiprop came into the limelight when he won gold in the 6km junior race at the 2007 World Cross Country Championships in Mombasa.
During the World Championships in London, Kiprop finished ninth in an event won by his compatriot, Elijah Manangoi.
He again failed to triumph in the Birmingham meeting.
