Not letting gold out of the vault

Brimin Kipruto

By Chris Musumba

Brimin Kipruto’s given name is actually Firmin, but it was mistakenly transcribed by a clerk in 2001 when he was applying for a birth certificate so as to secure his first passport. He has been identified officially as “Brimin” ever since.

In Athens he was part of a Kenyan sweep as Kipruto and his teammates, Ezekiel Kemboi and Koech, began pushing the pace at the start of the second lap and dropped all but former compatriot Moses Kipchirchir (now Moussa Omar Obaid of Qatar).

Kipruto collected silver (8:06.11) behind Kemboi’s 8:05.81, with Koech third.

“The Olympics are the best competition ever. Your contracts will improve if you win a gold in Olympic and I hope to do just that and see where I will be next year,” he said.

“It is not easy coming from Kenya to compete at three Olympic games. I want to make it four but we will have to up my game because younger athletes are emerging. Everyone wants to compete at the Olympics, because it defines who you are in sports and that is why it is a tough competition. Winning is hard, but I believe Kenya will do well in steeplechase and continue the domination.”

A World Championships bronze medallist in 2005, he took his first global title in the steeplechase with a win at the Osaka 2007 World Championships. He also won bronze in Delhi Commonwealth games.

Kipruto, who owns the second fastest ever steeplechase time in the world (7:53.64), believes World Champion Ezekiel Kemboi, who beat him to the silver in the 2004 Athens Olympics, and Abel Mutai will dominate the London games.

“We have a very strong team. We are all supporting each other in the team preparations with the sole purpose of doing well at the London Olympics,” said Kipruto

Born July 31, 1985

Personal Best

July 2006      1500m  3:35.23                Stockholm    

May 2006      3000m   7:47.33         Doha     

July 2001      2000m SC     5:36.81 Debrecen

July 2011      3000m SC     7:53.64 Monaco

Achievements

Olympic Games

Gold       2008 Beijing 3000m SC

Silver     2004 Athens 3000m SC

World Championships

Gold              2007 Osaka   3000m SC

Silver            2011 Daegu 3000m SC

Bronze   2005 Helsinki       3000m SC

Commonwealth Games

Bronze   2010 Delhi    3000m SC

World Youth Championships

Silver     2001 Debrecen     2000m SC

World Junior Championships

Bronze          2004 Grosetto      1500m  

African Junior Championships

Silver     2003 Garoua        3000m SC