Kipruto eyes podium, personal best at Sunday's Tokyo Marathon
The 2021 Boston Marathon champion Benson Kipruto is targeting a podium finish at Sunday’s Tokyo Marathon.
Kipruto trains in his backyard in Kapsabet, Nandi County, ahead of the much-awaited, starstudded showdown in the Japanese capital.
Other top athletes enlisted for the race are former world marathon record holder Eliud Kipchoge (2:01:09), Vincent Kipkemoi (2:03:13), Timothy Kiplagat (2:03:50), Hailemaryam Kiros (2:04:41) and Andualem Belay (2:04:44).
“My training and preparations for the Tokyo Marathon have been going on very well. I hope my hard training will yield great results,” said Kipruto, the 2016 Athens Classic Marathon silver medalist.
Kipruto was a surprise 2022 Chicago Marathon winner and silver medallist a year later— behind the late Kelvin Kiptum, who set the world record of 2:00:35.
He said Tokyo was a a late destination after initially settling on a return to Boston.
“I was to compete at the Boston Marathon but I had to change to Tokyo since it gives me enough time to prepare for the Olympics Games,” said the 2017 Gongju Dong-A Marathon silver medalist.
He is unfazed by the calibre of competition.
“I have prepared well enough to run finish on the podium as well as lower my personal best,” said Kipruto.
Kipruto is also looking forward to representing the country at the Paris Olympic Games.
He was named in the provisional marathon team to Paris alongside Kipruto former world record holder Eliud Kipchoge, Vincent Kipkemoi, Timothy Kiplagat, Bernard Koech, Geoffrey Kamworor, Cyprian Kotut, Amos Kipruto, Titus Kipruto and the late Kelvin Kiptum.
“I have never represented my country in any competition and making the team to Paris would be a dream come true,” said Kipruto.
Meanwhile, Ugandan Victor Kiplang’at said he is well prepared for Tokyo.
Kiplangat, who has already hit the qualifying time for the Paris Olympic Games, told Xinhua that he has put in a lot of work during preparations as he seeks to improve on his time.
“I have trained well under coach Addy Ruiter and I can’t wait to go and prove a point in Japan,” said Kiplang’at.
The Tokyo Marathon is a good platform for his preparations for the Olympic Games in France in August.
Kiplang’at, who will follow Ugandan pace-setter Abel Boniface, said competing against Kipchoge will be a tough but great challenge.
posted Saturday March 2nd
by Emmanuel Sabuni