01 August,2016 09:22 AM IST | | AFP
At 31, it is hard to believe Brimin Kiprop Kipruto will be running his fourth Olympics in a race Kenya has dominated since its first men's 3,000 metres steeplechase gold was won in Mexico 1968 by Amos Biwott
Kenyan Brimin Kiprop Kipruto
Nairobi: At 31, it is hard to believe Brimin Kiprop Kipruto will be running his fourth Olympics in a race Kenya has dominated since its first men's 3,000 metres steeplechase gold was won in Mexico 1968 by Amos Biwott.
Kenyan Brimin Kiprop Kipruto
The second-fastest steeplechaser of all time has buried the incident in London that saw him tripped by fierce domestic rival Kemboi with two laps to go. That knocked him off his rhythm and forced him down the order in fifth having weathered the animosity in the run-up to Brazil.
"In London, I fell during the final and I was disappointed. It feels good to be with Kemboi in the team, as we will be participating in our fourth Olympics.
Moving on
"I moved on and hopefully this time round I won't be cut out of the medal bracket unceremoniously," the Osaka 2007 world champion said.
"The training has been great and I'm responding well to training. When we go there, we have one mission in mind: take all the medals and bring them home," he charged.
"At the trials, the three of us had planned to make the team. That's why we did not kick at the end. Kemboi was very happy that we made it, that's why he was holding my hand at the finish line."