For years, no athlete had won any Olympic trophy. But in 1964, the late Kiprugut placed the country on the global map by becoming the first Kenyan and African, to win an Olympic medal when he bagged bronze in the 880 yards (now 800 metres) race at the 1964 Tokyo Olympic Games.
The 2010 Kenyan Sports Personality of the year and 'Hall of Fame' award winner in an earlier interview, recalled with nostalgia how tears of joy rolled down his cheeks as the Kenyan flag was hoisted for the first time in the history of the Olympic Games.
"To bag a bronze medal back then was no mean feat as we lacked proper training facilities, professional coaches and even running shoes," he said
Kiprugut recalled that Peter Snell from New Zealand took the gold medal, a Canadian Bill Crothers won the silver medal while he brought home the bronze medal.
He blamed his third position on a Jamaican George Kerr, who allegedly tried to shove him out of the way.
"I was the one who led the tightly packed field at 200 (24.9) and at 400 (52.0). When Kerr pushed me, I was lucky to be strong and of good stamina, otherwise, I would have fallen by the tracks," said Kiprugut.
He said that the Jamaican hit a stone on the edge of the tracks, but he stood his ground to actually run to a podium finish.
Nonetheless, the hero remembered with nostalgia how he was overcome by joy when he took to the podium to receive his medal.
"All eyes at the stadium were on me since no one had ever seen a black man achieve such a feat before," said Kiprugut.
The former senior sergeant in the army from Kericho County said he started running while still a student at Kaptebeswet Primary School and Sitotwet Intermediate School in the 1950s.
During the recent Mashujaa Day celebration, Chumo was feted at home with a trophy and cash token by the Kericho County administration.