Conseslus Kipruto Beats Ezekiel Kemboi Again
Kipruto Picks Up Third Diamond League Steeple Victory And Wins 2013 Bislett Games Men’s Steeplechase
by LetsRun.com
June 13, 2013
The much-anticipated rematch between Kenya’s 18-year-old sensation Conseslus Kipruto and two-time Olympic champion Ezekiel Kemboi in the men’s steeple at the 2013 ExxonMobil Bislett Games resulted in the same outcome that occurred in Eugene – Kipruto got the win and remains the man to beat in 2013. This time, however, there was no shoving or a DQ as Kipruto was way better than Kemboi at the end here.
After a scorching world record early pace, Kirputo won in 8:04.48 to Kemboi’s 8:07.00 after a final lap of 62.36.
The Race
Don’t let anyone ever tell you that you have to have good classic hurdling technique to be a steepler. This guy is the best in the world.
The race started very fast as the first km was run in 2:36 (7:48 pace). On the BBC telecast, the announcers said that it was Kemboi who asked for the 2:36 opening kilometer. However, Kemboi wasn’t up front initially. Kemboi was back in fifth for much of the race early on, visibly grimacing and working hard to stay in contact. At one point midway through the race, it seemed as if he might lose contact as everyone was very much strung out.
Contrast that to Kipruto, who from the start was right on the hot early pace.
In the end, unless a world record was going to be set, the pace was certainly going to slow and it did big time, and Kemboi was right where he needed to be at the bell. His famed kick was no where to be seen, however, and Kipruto pulled away after the final water jump.
Quick Thought (QT) #1: Kipruto is now three for three on the Diamond League this season and the World Championships favorite. Being so young, he’s gonna have to work really hard to get his peak right. His times have gotten slower in each race.
8:01.16 in Shanghai
8:03.59 in Eugene
8:04.48 in Oslo
Given he’s 18 and likely very much needed some cash, we understand why he’s been racing a lot. But now that he’s made life-changing money over the last month, he needs to get ready for Moscow. We’d almost urge him to go back to a month of base training, but the problem is he still has to worry about the Kenyan Trials, something Kemboi, as the defending champ, doesn’t need to worry about.
QT #2: When we heard the early pace was supposed to 2:36 and Kemboi didn’t go with it, but then ultimately got right where he needed to be, we briefly wondered at first if it was all a ploy to tire out everyone in the race except him. In the end, we don’t think that was the case, as Kemboi had little left at the end.
QT #3: Kipruto’s km splits were probably something like 2:37, 2:44, 2:43.
| Rank | Athlete | Nation | Result | Diamond Points | Diamond Ranking | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1
|
KEN
|
8:04.48
|
12
|
1
|
 |
||
|
2
|
KEN
|
8:07.00
|
SB
|
2
|
3
|
||
|
3
|
KEN
|
8:09.01
|
2
|
3
|
|||
|
4
|
KEN
|
8:11.29
|
|||||
|
5
|
KEN
|
8:12.36
|
|||||
|
6
|
KEN
|
8:19.93
|
|||||
|
7
|
ETH
|
8:24.66
|
|||||
|
8
|
MAR
|
8:24.73
|
|||||
|
9
|
POL
|
8:25.01
|
SB
|
||||
|
10
|
TUR
|
8:31.46
|
|||||
|
11
|
KEN
|
8:40.47
|
SB
|
||||
|
KEN
|
DNF
|
||||||
|
KEN
|
DNF
|
||||||