Men's 3,000m steeplechase: Worried Conseslus promises his best in final

Kenya's Conseslus Kipruto (L) looks across at US athlete Stanley Kipkoech Kebenei (R) as they race to the finish line in the third heat of the men's 3,000m steeplechase athletics event at the 2017 IAAF World Championships at the London Stadium in London on August 6, 2017. / AFP PHOTO / Jewel SAMAD

There’s no turning back for Kipruto

Kenya's dominance in the water and barrier race is under great threat.

"It is going to be a very tough race," Olympics 3,000m steeplechase champion Conseslus Kipruto has said ahead of today's 11:10pm final.

The steeplechase event is synonymous with Kenyans, who have won five consecutive world titles. But for the first time in as many championships, an 'outsider', Evan Jager of USA, poses the greatest threat to the Kenyans' quest for glory.

Kenya will also parade defending champion Ezekiel Kemboi, who is gunning for his fifth world title, and Jairus Birech, the former two-time Diamond League trophy winner. Both earned their places in the final as non-automatic qualifiers.

Kipruto has struggled with an ankle injury he sustained during the gruelling national trials at Nyayo Stadium in June.

"Jager, the Moroccan (Soufiane Elbakkali) who won the first heat and obviously the Kenyans are favourites. It is a very difficult field," said Kipruto. "I've been struggling for the last month with an ankle injury. So I have had to take it easy on the water jumps."

The Beijing Worlds silver medallist added: "I need to be ready to make sure that I fight with those guys. I still have some pain in my ankle though. I missed many sessions last month. I took part in only one track session, which was last Friday. Since the trials, I've struggled to do speed work. I am worried, but I'll try my best in the final."

Jager and Elbakkali are obviously in great form following their performance in the semi-final.

The American got his World Championships campaign off to a good start, winning the second heat in 8:20.36. As the fastest athlete in the world this year, the 28-year-old will be aiming to become the first US steeplechaser to win a World Championships medal.

Morocco's Soufiane Elbakkali – the third fastest in the world this year behind Jager and Kipruto – won the first heat in 8:22.60 ahead of three-time Olympic medallist Mahiedine Mekhissi of France and Ethiopian Getnet Wale.

Bilal Tabti of Algeria and Jacob Araptany from Uganda also bagged non-automatic qualifying spots alongside Birech, placing fourth and sixth respectively.

Stanley Kibenei, a former Kenyan now running for his adopted country, USA, was second in 8:24.19 and will be in the final.

Canada's Matthew Hughes was rewarded for pushing the pace in the closing few laps by holding on for the third automatic qualifying spot in 8:24.79, just over half a second ahead of Ethiopia's Tesfaye Deriba (8:25.33), who secured his place as a non-automatic qualifier in fourth.