Emotion in athletics is like sand in the desert and usually, it is what has us craving for the next motivational and inspired comebacks from icons who have cemented their legacies and framework for how to win and lead.

One such immortalised icon is Uganda’s professional long-distance runner–Stephen Kiprotich, who is zealous to bounce back stronger.

“I strongly believe in making an effort, even when the odds are against you,” the legend roared in the opening moments of this exclusive interview with Vision Sports.

The skillful Kiprotich has targeted the upcoming Commonwealth and World Athletics Championships in UK and USA respectively for his comeback from the poor run of form.

Both aforementioned big events will take place in Mid–July this year (2022).

The former Olympic and world championship champion has struggled to impress after his heroic performances in London 2012 and Moscow 2013.

In those two years, the soft-spoken Kiprotich made history by becoming only the second person in the world to follow an Olympic marathon gold medal with a world championship gold accolade for the same event.

Ethiopia’s Gezahegne Abera is the only other runner to achieve that incredible feat in history.  

It should also be noted that Kiprotich’s 2012 win was the first Olympic medal for Uganda since 1972 and the country’s first-ever in the Marathon, a record which will take some time to erase.  

Now, the celebrated Kiprotich, 32, wants to line up against the world's best in his favorite marathon discipline again.

To ensure that this goes to plan, the Kapchorwa born international has embarked on aggressive training in the high-altitude areas of Kapchorwa, Bulambuli, Kween, and Bukwo.

“My training is going on well. Am determined to step up to the plate again,” Kiprotich revealed.

The Uganda Prisons Athletics club athlete knows that he faces a battle to win back the marathon gold position from the likes of Kenya’s Eluid Kipchoge.

“Him (Kipchoge) and other marathoners around the world are super talented for sure, that is the reason they have been successful in the last few years but it’s down to hard work which I have embraced once again,” the legendary Kiprotich stated.

In his recent showing during the Olympics games 2020 in Japan, Kiprotich who started slightly well in the 32-kilometer marathon could later drop out of the park citing “extreme and humid weather conditions.”

His rival Kipchoge, 37, pressed on to win gold in that race.  

“Very unfavorable conditions in Tokyo made it difficult for me to run smoothly and I had to drop-off because my body was not responding well during the race,” the highly decorated runner recounted.

That decision to drop out of the race attracted criticism from the pundits, commentators, and fans with a section of them claiming that the legend was getting old for his favorite game.

But the experienced runner has rubbished such claims stressing that he is still good enough for a couple of competitions to come.

“Age is no barrier, it’s only a limitation you choose to put in your mind. “There is no such a thing as getting old in sports,” the explosive long-distance star reiterated vehemently.   

“Am only 32 now and I still have a lot of potential, just give me time to prove critics wrong,” Kiprotich further reacted.

Indeed, if his words are one thing to go by, then Kiprotich is indeed not letting the fear of striking out get in his way.

“To be honest, in all sports there is always a point where a player has a bad game, season, or moment. It’s unfair to write off such talents in a rush,” he stressed.

The gifted running icon who has represented Uganda in all major events revealed that he plans to continue to train well and take part in events that come his way.

A champion is someone who gets up when he can’t as Kiprotich explained.

“Am not planning to retire right now, instead I want to prepare well because that is the most vital thing,” the NN Running team star said.

Kiprotich’s national record in marathon of 2:06:33 in 2015 stood firmly until recently when the fasting-rising marathoner Felix Chemonges Malewa smashed it at Namboole national stadium.

While his personal best is 27:58.03 in 10,000m which he achieved in 2010 and 2008, Kiprotich managed 13:23.70 in 5,000m.

Asked if he could still rewrite his personal history, Kiprotich lightly asked what was “impossible before God?”

“Nothing is impossible when you believe in God and work hard every day during training,” Kiprotich asserted.

Advancing that; “I am pushing myself again and again. I will not give an inch until my mind achieves what I believe in.”