Brimin Kipruto remains optimistic at the Kenyan chances to take all three medals at the World Championship 3,000m steeplechase. © www.photorun.net
The heats of the 3,000m steeplechase got underway Sunday at the World Championships in Berlin. As expected, Kenyan runners led the way. All told, four Kenyans qualified for the final on the Tuesday since Brimin Kipruto, the reigning champion, had previously secured automatic qualification for the World Championships.
The Kenyans won all three preliminary rounds in the steeplechase on Sunday. Richard Mateelong won the first in 8:17.99 minutes. Tareq Mubarak Taher from Bahrain—also a Kenyan-born runner—placed second in 8:18.13. Third place in the first heat went to Paul Koech of Kenya who ran 8:18.16. The World and Olympic champion, Brimin Kipruto, came through to win the second heat in 8:18.07 ahead of France’s European record holder Bob Tahri (8:18.23). In the third race of the qualifying round, the 2004 Olympic champion, Ezekiel Kemboi, proved unbeatable in 8:19.36. Morocco’s Jamel Chatbi finished second in this race in 8:20.26.
“I think I’m in better form this year than last season, so I’m expecting to do well. I don’t think it will be that hard for us to win all three medals. We will have a plan worked out for the final,” said an optimistic Brimin Kipruto after his victory in the second heat.
Paula Radcliffe Wins in New York
In other relevant events Sunday, the owner of the world record in the marathon, Paula Radcliffe, won the New York Half-Marathon. The Briton, making her first competitive appearance of the year, broke the tape in 69:45 minutes. She told the BBC after the race that she still wasn’t sure if she would run in the World Championships, but still intends to catch a plane to Berlin this evening. She indicated that she will decide in the next few days if she will run the World Championship marathon. “If I don’t feel 100 percent, I won’t run. But it’s looking more likely that I’ll run than it did a week ago,” Radcliffe said in her BBC interview.
There were no finals in the middle- and long-distance events on Sunday evening.
