WATCH: Kenyan wins 3000m SC Diamond League SC final with one shoe
Olympic and World 3,000m steeplechase champion Conseslus Kipruto won his fourth Diamond League trophy that comes with a hefty pack of $ 50,000 (Sh5 Million) on Thursday night, running with one shoe.
The 24-year-old defended his title in the Swiss City of Zurich which hosted the Weltklasse meeting one of the finals of the Diamond League 2018 with the other final happening today in Brussels, Belgium.
Kipruto, fresh from bagging his maiden Africa tittle three weeks ago in Asaba, Nigeria, was forced to run more than six laps worth of barriers and water jumps with one shoe after he lost his left shoe after just over one lap into the steeplechase final.
LOSING THRICE
Kipruto, who struggled in this years’ Diamond League winning in Rome and Bimingham meetings and losing thrice, before the Thursday final, persevered the pain all through, managing to beat his main challenger World silver medalist Soufiane El Bakkhali of Morocco, at the final stretch, just after the last pond jump.
Speaking after defending his title for the fourth time and the 3rd consecutively after winning in 2013, 2016, and 2017, Kipruto said he was in much pain but was determined to win.
“I am in pain, but losing my shoe motivated me to fight as hard as I could” Kipruto was quoted.
This foot just won a Diamond. @Diamond_League @KipConseslus pic.twitter.com/VjB7xgKpSi
— Michel Boeting (@one4onesports) August 30, 2018