Benson Kipruto eyes comeback at Tata 25K after life-changing Paris Olympic glory

Life has changed for the better for Olympic bronze medal-winning Kenyan marathoner Benson Kipruto.

The 33-year-old, who earned a Paris Olympic medal in his debut competition for his country, took a break to soak in the massive euphoria back home.    

During this time, he began constructing his dream house -- "now 90% complete" -- and exactly four months later, he is set for his much-anticipated comeback at the Tata Steel World 25K in Kolkata on Sunday to test how his body has adapted.    

"Life has changed since Paris. I'm now getting a lot of invitations to run in marathons," Kipruto told reporters during an interaction ahead of the race day.    

"I'm building a house in a small village near my training place -- it's 90% complete now. This is all thanks to my running achievements," he proudly stated.    

Kipruto was raised by his mother after his father died. He could not always attend school and worked in a farm before trying his luck in running inspired by the success of his elder brother Dickson Chumba.

He went on to win the Boston Marathon in 2021, followed by victories at the Chicago Marathon in 2022 and the Tokyo Marathon in 2024 where he clocked his personal best of 2:02:16. He also claimed second place at the Chicago Marathon in 2023.    

Paris Olympics was his first event for Kenya and he won the bronze with a timing of 2:07.00.  "After Paris, there was a massive celebration. It was my first time representing my country, and winning a bronze medal was a huge achievement for me. "I had never represented my country in any international event before -- nowhere, never. It was my first time representing Kenya on such a stage, and it felt incredible."    

After Paris, Benson took a well-deserved break to recover, skipping other races to focus on his physical and mental well-being. Now, with his sights set on returning to competition, he eyes to dethrone his compatriot Daniel Ebenyo who is also the event record holder. "After Paris, I decided to take a break. I didn't participate in any races for a while. Initially, I was supposed to run in Chicago, but I said no because Paris was tough, and I needed time to recover. "I've now started preparing for my next marathon. That's why I came here to participate and see how my body has adapted after the break," he added.    

Asked about his consistency and advice to the youngsters, he said: "Consistency in our sport comes with many things, but the most important is discipline. "Discipline is key. Second is training and being patient. Patience pays off, and that comes from the level of training you commit to," said Kipruto, a fan of two-time Olympic champion Eliud Kipchoge.    

"I usually run 25–30 kilometres a day. This routine helps me adapt to marathon running and maintain my performance," he concluded.

posted Friday December 13th
by The Week