Kenya’s Conseslus Kipruto followed his Olympic and world titles by winning the Zurich Diamond League that was held on Thursday night in Zurich, Switzerland.
Kipruto’s left shoe came off early in the 3000m race, but he still managed to pass world silver medalist Soufiane El Bakkali of Morocco when he crossed the line in 8:10.15 with El Bakkali coming in second in 8:11.19.
Kipruto has proven himself over and again as a competitor, winning the 2016 Olympic title and beating El Bakkali to last year’s world title, but he has surely never faced such a challenge as this.
“I have big pain,” he said, “I am injured because I lost my left shoe. That was a mess.”
The field was one of the deepest of all time — including the nine men who combined to own the 26 fastest times in the world this year.
U.S. Olympic silver medalist Evan Jager was looking to become the first American to break eight minutes but It didn’t happen forcing him to come third in 8:13.22.
Kipruto had looked vulnerable in 2018 with three Diamond League defeats.
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