NAIROBI, June 24 (Xinhua) -- Olympic steeplechase champion Conseslus Kipruto will have one race in Rabat before attempting to break the world record in the water and hurdle race in Monaco on July 20.
Speaking to Xinhua in Nairobi, Kipruto said this season presents him the best chance to cement his name among the event's greats and will take opportunity to challenge Qatari Saif Saeed Shaheen's 14-year-old record of 7:53.63 seconds set in Brussels.
Kipruto earned a wild card selection to the Commonwealth Games back in April after he fell sick.
However, he went on to clinch gold in Australia and has been regaining his top form with endurance races in 5,000m at the Rome Diamond League in May.
But he will have one more race in Rabat on July 13 to gauge his speed and sharpness before heading to Monaco for the big contest.
"I have run injury free this season and every athletes dreams of running at his optimum best. Save for the illness, I say this season I am in top shape and will have four weeks to prepare and go to Monaco for the world record attempt," said Kipruto.
The 24-year-old has a personal best time of 8:00.12, which he set in Birmingham back in 2016 and hopes to run under eight minutes in Rabat before attempting to break Shaheen's record a week later.
Two athletes Brimin Kipruto and Paul Kipsiele Koech have come close to breaking the world record in Monaco in the last decade, but missed out by fraction of seconds.
After Rabat and Monaco races, Kipruto will take over the national mantle and head to Asaba, Nigeria for the Africa Championships, which runs from Aug. 1-5.
