Kiplimo wants Olympic Gold
Kiplimo shows off his gold medal from the 2022 World Athletics Cross Country Championships in Belgrade, Serbia. PHOTO/REUTERS
What you need to know:
Many athletes often choose to set new goals and push barriers in order to stay committed to the course. Jacob Kiplimo wants to be among those pushing boundaries.
What do you get the person who has everything? The question is often rolled out for athletes who some expect to lack motivation after achieving their goals.
Many athletes often choose to set new goals and push barriers in order to stay committed to the course. Jacob Kiplimo wants to be among those pushing boundaries.
Even with six world titles in seven years, there is something missing from Kiplimo’s CV.
"My goal this year is to do what Joshua Cheptegei did and win an Olympic gold,” Kiplimo said after retaining his World Athletics Cross Country title on Sunday.
"My main focus is the 10,000m, but I'm not sure yet if I want to double." The 2024 Olympics in Paris, France will start on July 26.
That 10,000m race, the biggest medal in long distance running, is pencilled in for August 2, 2024.
Kiplimo won bronze in the 10,000m in Tokyo, Japan three years ago as Cheptegei took silver behind Ethiopia’s Selemon Barega.
Cheptegei won the 5,000m gold in Tokyo to become only the fourth Uganda to do so at the prestigious quadrennial games. He still craves that 10,000m gold.
A Kiplimo-Cheptegei showdown at the 77,083-seater Stade de France could be one for the ages.
To Kiplimo, retaining the cross country title was a perfect boost for his morale after missing the World Athletics Championships last year due to a hamstring injury.
"I was hungry for medals after missing Budapest last year," said Kiplimo, who is the world half marathon record holder.
"I was in good shape, but then the injury happened and I had to get treatment, but I am back now,” he added.
The 5,000m and 10,000m Commonwealth titleholder finished three seconds clear of Berihu Aregawi of Ethiopia, who also took silver last year in Bathurst, Australia.
KIPLIMO AT A GLANCE
Date of birth: November 14, 2000
Major events: 5000m, 10000m
Coach: Iacorpo Brasi
Personal Bests: 7:26.64 (3000m), 12:48.63 (5000m), 26:33.93 (10000m)
Manager: Federico Rosa
Management: Rosa Associati
KIPLIMO VICTORIES AT MAJOR CHAMPIONSHIPS
2024 World Cross-country: 1st (Senior Men’s 10km)
2023 World Cross-country: 1st (Senior Men’s 10km)
2022 Commonwealth Games: 1st (5000m Final)
2022 Commonwealth Games: 1st (10000m Final)
2020 World Half-Marathon Champs: 1st (Men’s 21km)
2017 World Cross-country: 1st (Junior Men’s 8km)
