Kiprotich seeks to defend World title

By Norman Katende in Beijing

IAAF World Championships

Saturday, All Live on SS5

1.35am:
Marathon (men) Final

4.25am:
3000m SC (men) 1st round

World and Olympic marathon champion Stephen Kiprotich believes that Team Uganda will shine at the IAAF World Athletics Championships.

Kiprotich will launch Uganda’s hunt for medals when he comes up against some of the best marathoners across the world on Friday in the marathon event.

The men’s marathon, which will open the 10-day athletics championship, will start from Yongdigmen gate through a series of historical places including the Forbidden City through to the bird’s nest stadium.

Unlike in the 2012 Olympics where he was barely known in the distance running circles, Kiprotich’s back to-back title-winning feats at the 2012 Olympic games and 2013 World Championships thrust him into the spotlight.

He is considered the biggest threat by both Kenya and Ethiopian runners. Kenya will be led by World record holder Dennis Kimetto (2:02:57).

“It is a marathon and it can go any way but I am ready. We have all prepared hard for this,” said Kiprotich, who will be running along side training partners Jackson Kiprop, Abraham Kiplimo and Solomon Mutai, the only runner on Uganda’s team to have not run below 2:10:00.

“We are going to go in as a group and support each other. What we want is better performance and positions will come in later in the race,” he added.

Kiprotich faces a battle against three Ethiopians, who have all run below 2:05:00 and Kenyan runners including nemesis Wilson Kipsang 2:03:23).

“The flat route is an advantage, but the problem is the temperature that is expected to soar to over 30 degrees,” coach Benjamin Longiross said after the athletes went through the route on Thursday afternoon.

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