Former Olympic Games 3,000m steeplechase champion Conseslus Kipruto will be up against Olympic 3,000m steeplechase champion Soufiane El Bakkali at the Rabat Diamond League that will be held on Sunday (5) in Rabat, Morocco.
The 27 year-old who is also a two time World champion will face the inform Bakhali and the Olympic silver medalist Lamecha Girma who ran last week a world leading, Ethiopian National record and the twelfth fastest all-times of 7:58.68.
Kipruto who missed the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games in Japan through injury, made his debut this season at the Athletics Kenya Athletics Kenya National track and field championships in April, will also be making his season debut in Rabat and will have an uphill task as he faces his two main rivals whom he beat at the 2019 World Athletics Championships in Doha, where he clocked 8:01.35 to narrowly beat Girma who came second in 8:01.36 with Morocco’s El Bakkali closing the podium in 8:03.76.
El Bakhali who ended Kenya’s 25 years run of success in steeplechase in Tokyo, will be hoping to shine at home as he comes to this race with the fastest time on paper of 7:58.15, followed by Girma with Kipruto missing on the exclusive sub 8 club with a life time best of 8:00.12.
Tokyo Olympic Games bronze medallist Benjamin Kigen, the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games bronze medallist, Mekhissi Mahediene from France and the 2018 Commonwealth Games champion, Abraham Kibiwott have also been line up to fight for the top honors.
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