Kiprotich wants early preps for Tokyo 2020

RIO DE JANEIRO- Even in difficult moments, Stephen Kiprotich is always at his humourous best.

Shortly after he crossed the Rio Olympics marathon finish line in 14th position to surrender his title on Sunday, the Ugandan star runner still had some breath to crack ribs.

“I think I should not return to Uganda. Now how do we go back without a single medal?” he joked after congratulating his training partner and Kenyan friend Eliud Kipchoge upon becoming the new Olympic marathon champion.

Scratching his head, Kiprotich added: “Now I have a plan. I am going to change my ticket and go back when Ugandans have forgotten about the Olympics.”

The joking aside, Kiprotich admitted being terribly hurt to miss out on the podium and felt he let down many Ugandans who had hopes in him. “With the way I had prepared, I knew I would get one of the medals. But it is sad I have not done my country proud as I expected,” he said.

The former world champion wasn’t anywhere close to the podium. He was again upstaged by battle-hardened teammate Solomon Mutai, who went into the 42km race struggling with flue but came within touching distance of a medal only to eventually fade to eighth.

Last year, Mutai won bronze as Kiprotich finished sixth in the World Championships marathon. The Ugandan duo, alongside teammate Jackson Kiprop, had a good start on a rainy morning in Sambodromo, keeping with the congested leading group for the first half of the gruelling race.

Mutai and Kiprop jostled for top positions against Kenyan and Ethiopian opposition with Kiprotich running slightly behind for about 10 kilometres.

Halfway mark
After 20km, Kiprotich appeared to be struggling. He, however, recovered to hit the front for the first time at the halfway mark.

At 27km, the cruising Kipchoge upped the pace and Kiprotich started losing touch with the leaders and hope of him catching up evaporated at the 30km mark. Soon Kiprop followed even though Mutai held on until the last 5km.

“I developed a stomach stitch after drinking some water. Then the road was also wet and water was splashing all over. It became so difficult for me to run well. You must have seen some other top runners struggling,” Kiprotich explained. The Kenyan duo of Stanley Biwott and Wesley Korir as well as Bahrain’s Alemu Bekele, all expected to challenge for medals, dropped out. “When I had overcome the stitches after 39km, it became so windy and it was difficult to close the gap because I had lost so much time.” Kiprop, who came home a distant 80th in 2:22.09, also said he developed a stitch after taking water and had to walk for about two kilometres.

Towards the end, Kipchoge was in a race of his own, accelerating home in 2:08:44 with Ethiopian Feyisa Lilesa following in second (2:09:54) and American Galen Rupp, fifth in the 10,000m last week, taking the bronze (2:10:05).
Kiprotich admitted Kipchoge is now the most dangerous marathoner but promised to work hard and regain his world title next year and the Olympic crown in Tokyo 2020.
“Today was just a bad day but better times are coming. I need to rest then start planning for 2020 but I can’t do it alone. All stakeholders must join hands and we plan as a country. We need to invest in athletes’ training starting now,” he said.
Before he came here, Kiprotich trained with Kipchoge in Kenya for two months but his other Ugandan teammates prepared in Kapchorwa because they couldn’t afford the cost of staying in Eldoret.
“It would be nice for us to be working together as a team. It’s sad that the whole country can be looking at only me for a medal yet there are many other athletes capable of winning but they can’t because they lack assistance,” noted the Prisons officer. “Right now, I am getting old and can’t guarantee performing at the top beyond 2020. Runners always do so well in their first six marathons yet for me I have already run 14. That’s why we need more good runners so that in case I fail, others do well for the team,” suggested the 27-year-old.
Before he won in London 2012, Uganda had gone 40 years without Olympic gold and Kiprotich foresees another long wait after his retirement unless strategic planning is put in place. “This business of preparing for Games a month before they start should stop. If we are to do well in Tokyo, the preparations must start next month.”

MARATHON RESULTS
1. Eliud Kipchoge (KEN) 2:08:44
2. Felisa Lilesa (ETH) 2:09:54
3. Galen Rupp (USA) 2:10:05
8. Solomon Mutai (UGA) 2:11:49
14. Stephen Kiprotich (UGA) 2:13:32
80. Jackson Kiprop (UGA) 2:22:09

KIPROTICH PROFILE

Date of Birth: February 27, 1989
Speciality: Marathon
Manager: Jos Hermens
Major honours: Gold 2012 London
Olympics, Gold 2013 Moscow
Championships, 3rd 2012 Tokyo Marathon
MARATHON CAREER HIGHLIGHTS
2011: 9th, Daegu World Championships
2012: 3rd, Tokyo Marathon
2012: 1st, London Olympics
2013: 1st, Granollers Half-Marathon
2013: 6th, London Marathon
2013: 1st, Moscow World Championships