Conseslus battles to bag bronze medal

Kenya's World championships bronze medallist Conseslus Kipruto. [AP]

Conseslus Kipruto, continued with form recovery to battle for bronze position as Moroccan Soufiane El Bakkali reigned supreme in men's 3,000m finals in Oregon.

Kipruto, who had trouble in the 2021 season with a court case and injuries that saw him miss out on the Tokyo Olympics Games, settled for bronze in 8:27.92 behind Ethiopia’s Lamecha Girma, who won silver for the second straight championships in 8:26.01.

It was the first time a Kenyan has finished out of the top two since 1991.

Kenya had dominated the event for so long, having won 13 of the past 15 titles. The only two previous times Kenya did not claim the title was in 2003 and 2005 when Saif Saaeed Shaheen, a Kenyan-born athlete running for Qatar, claimed the gold.

After winning Olympic gold in Tokyo last year, Soufiane El Bakkali can now add the title of world champion to his resume.

Timing his kick to perfection in a slow, tactical race, the Moroccan surged to the lead around the final bend and accelerated down the straight to capture gold

The victory gave the 26-year-old El Bakkali a complete set of World Championships medals, adding to the silver he won in London in 2017 and bronze in Doha in 2019.

“I am very happy to have won my first world title after the Olympic gold,” he said. “The race was very difficult; it was very tactical and slow. I positioned myself well on the last lap. I am very strong in the 400m and it worked out for me.”

Kenya’s Abraham Kibiwot was fifth in 8:28.95, behind Ethiopian Getnet Wale, who was fourth in 8:28.68. Evan Jager of the US, a medallist at the 2016 Olympics and 2017 World Championships, finished sixth in 8:29.08.

The third Kenyan in the race Leornard Bett finished a distance 16th. [Dennis Okeyo and World Athletics]