Asbel Kiprop

Asbel Kiprop
Personal information
Nationality Kenya
Born 30 June 1989
Uasin Gishu
Height 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in)
Weight 62 kg (137 lb)[1]
Sport
Sport Running
Event(s) 800 metres, 1500 metres
Achievements and titles
Personal best(s)

800 m: 1:43.15
Mile 3:48.50
1500 m 3:27.72

3000 m: 7:42.32

Asbel Kiprop (born 30 June 1989 in Uasin Gishu) is a Kenyan middle-distance runner, who specialises in the 1500 metres. Kiprop was awarded the 1500 m gold medal at the 2008 Summer Olympics after the original winner, Rashid Ramzi, tested positive for doping.[2] Kiprop has won two World Championship titles in the event, in 2011 and 2013.

He won his first major title at the 2007 All-Africa Games, taking the 1500 m gold medal, and also won the event at the 2010 African Championships in Athletics, improving upon a bronze medal performance from 2008. His personal best for the distance is 3:27.72.

Career

The 2007 season became his breakthrough year, when he won junior race gold medal at the 2007 IAAF World Cross Country Championships[3] and then the 1500 m gold at the All-Africa Games.[4] He ran a personal best to finish fourth in the 1500 m at the 2007 World Championships in Osaka.[5] In recognition of his achievements, he won the Most Promising Sportsman of the Year category at the 2007 Kenyan Sports Personality of the Year awards.[6]

He ran at the 2008 African Championships in Athletics and took the bronze medal in the 800 m and came fourth in the 1500 m race. At the 2008 Beijing Olympics, Kiprop was narrowly beaten by Bahraini Rashid Ramzi for the gold medal.[7] However, Kiprop was awarded the gold medal after Ramzi tested positive for CERA, a banned substance which is a newer version of the more commonly known EPO.[8][9] He is the youngest ever winner of the title, a record previously held by Arnold Jackson since 1912. Kiprop has stated he is not very happy about the way he won the gold medal.[10] He ended the year with a silver medal at the 2008 IAAF World Athletics Final, finishing behind the African champion Haron Keitany.

At the 2009 World Athletics Championships, in Berlin, Kiprop disappointed many when he finished fourth for the second time in the 1500 m.[11] Kiprop also participated in the 800 m but was eliminated in the semi-finals.

He won the gold in the 1500 m at the 2010 African Championships in Athletics, running a championship record time of 3:36.19 to win in Nairobi.[12] He competed on the 2010 IAAF Diamond League circuit that year and after victories at the Bislett Games, Prefontaine Classic and British Grand Prix, he went on to secure the inaugural 1500 m Diamond League title with a win at the final event at the Memorial van Damme. He represented Africa at the 2010 IAAF Continental Cup, but managed only sixth place.[13]

He ran at the 2011 Great Edinburgh Cross Country in January, taking second place in the short race behind Eliud Kipchoge.[14] Later that year he became world champion over 1500 m, defeating his Kenyan rival, Silas Kiplagat at the 2011 World Championships in Athletics. Kiprop ran the final 800 meters of the race well under 1:50 and the final 400 meters in 51 seconds plus. Kiprop was leading in the rankings of the 2011 IAAF Diamond League, having won at the Bislett Games Dream Mile and placed second at the Shanghai, Paris and Stockholm meets. However, at the event final at the Weltklasse Zürich, he managed only seventh while Nixon Chepseba won to take the seasonal title.[15]

He had his best cross country race since he was a junior runner at the Edinburgh race in 2012, defeating a field which contained Kipchoge and Kenenisa Bekele.[16]

In July 2013, he won the Herculis (Monaco Diamond League) 1500 in a time of 3:27.72, making him the fourth fastest man ever at the distance yet still not achieving the meet record. On 18 August, at the IAAF World Championships in Moscow, Kiprop won the 1500 metres in 3:36.28.

Personal life

Kiprop is from Kaptinga village, near Eldoret. He is a son of David and Julia Kebenei. His father David Kebenei was also an athlete, who participated the 1987 All-Africa Games in Kenya and finished fourth in the 1500 metres race. Kiprop started running at the age of 13, while at Simat School. Later he dropped out of high-school to concentrate on training.[17] Kiprop trains at the Kipchoge Keino High Performance Training Centre in Eldoret.[18] He was, however, expelled from the camp in 2009 for breaking the rules by bringing his girlfriend to the centre.[19] His younger brother Victor Kipchirchir Kebenei is also a 1500 metres runner.[20]

Kiprop has stated his first name, Asbel, means determined.[21]

Statistics

Personal bests

Distance Time Place Date
800 metres 1:43.15 Monaco 2011-07-22
1500 metres 3:27.72 Monaco 2013-07-19
Mile run 3:48.50 Eugene, Oregon 2009-06-07
3000 metres 7:42.32 Turin 2007-06-08

All Information taken from IAAF profile.[1]

Competition record

Year Competition Venue Position Event Notes
Representing  Kenya
2007 World Cross Country Championships Mombasa, Kenya 1st Junior race
All-Africa Games Algiers, Algeria 1st 1500 m 3:38.97
World Championships Osaka, Japan 4th 1500 m 3:35.24
2008 African Championships Addis Ababa, Ethiopia 3rd 800 m 1:46.02
Olympic Games Beijing, China 1st 1500 m 3:33.11
World Athletics Final Stuttgart, Germany 2nd 1500 m 3:37.93
2009 World Championships Berlin, Germany 19th (sf) 800 m 1:52.05
4th 1500 m 3:36.47
2010 African Championships Nairobi, Kenya 1st 1500 m 3:36.19
2011 World Championships Daegu, South Korea 1st 1500 m 3:35.69
2012 Olympic Games London, United Kingdom 12th 1500 m 3:43.83
2013 World Championships Moscow, Russia 1st 1500 m 3:36.28
2014 IAAF World Relays Nassau, Bahamas 1st 4x1500 m 14:22.22

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Athlete profile for Asbel Kiprop: Asbel Kiprop biography
  2. ↑ Olympic champ's dope test confirmed. The Times (South Africa). 7 July 2009
  3. ↑ World Cross Country Championships 2007 – Results – Junior Race M Final. Iaaf.org (24 March 2007). Retrieved on 9 August 2012.
  4. ↑ All-Africa Games. gbrathletics.com
  5. ↑ Osaka 2007 – 1500 Metres M Final. Osaka2007.iaaf.org (29 August 2007). Retrieved on 9 August 2012.
  6. ↑ SOYA Awards – 2007 winners. Soyaawards.com. Retrieved on 9 August 2012.
  7. ↑ Olympic Games 2008 – Results 08-19-2008 – 1500 Metres M Final. Iaaf.org (19 August 2008). Retrieved on 9 August 2012.
  8. ↑ Kenya's Kiprop eyes Olympic gold as Ramzi failed dope test. News.xinhuanet.com (30 April 2009). Retrieved on 9 August 2012.
  9. ↑ Ramzi stripped of Olympic 1,500-meter gold medal
  10. ↑ Reuters India, 20 November 2009: Kiprop downcast over belated Olympic gold
  11. ↑ Mutwiri Mutuota (20 August 2009). Jepkosgei bags silver as Kiprop disappoints. Reuters.
  12. ↑ Negash, Elshadai (1 August 2010). Kenya captures five gold medals as African champs conclude in Nairobi – African champs, day 5. IAAF. Retrieved on 8 January 2011.
  13. ↑ James Wokabi and Mutwiri Mutuota (1 September 2010). Focus on Athletes – Asbel Kiprop. IAAF. Retrieved on 9 January 2011.
  14. ↑ Wenig, Jorg (8 January 2011). Kipchoge and Masai prevail in snowy Edinburgh. IAAF. Retrieved on 9 January 2011.
  15. ↑ Weltklasse Zürich Zürich (SUI) – Thursday, Sep 08, 2011. IAAF. Retrieved on 8 January 2012.
  16. ↑ Wenig, Jorg (7 January 2012). Kiprop triumphs in race of champions, Bekele a distant 11th – Edinburgh XC report. IAAF. Retrieved on 8 January 2012.
  17. ↑ Kiprop pledges to 'rule the world'. Daily Nation (17 August 2007).
  18. ↑ The Standard, 30 March 2007:Kiprop snubs party, turns eyes on track
  19. ↑ Chasing forbidden fruit? The Standard (30 March 2009).
  20. ↑ Daily Nation, 8 August 2009: Will Asbel be third time golden?
  21. ↑ Kiprop, the future of 1500m running?. Iaaf.org (17 July 2008). Retrieved on 9 August 2012.

External links