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Ezekiel Kemboi dances with flag around his waist after winning the men's 3000 metres steeplechase final during the15th IAAF World Championship in Beijing, China August 24, 2015.
REUTERS/David Gray
Ezekiel Kemboi proved has cemented his position as the greatest steeplechase athlete in this generation after sweeping his fourth consecutive world title and seventh straight medal at the IAAF World Championships in Beijing, China.
On August 24, 2015, Kemboi restored hopes of Kenya which has in the recent passed been dogged by claims of doping and mixed results at major athletics championships.
At the bell, many were doubtful he would win the race especially because he was racing against North American record-holder and United States of America’s representative Evan Jager. The site of the youthful 2013 world silver medalist Conseslus Kipruto among the leading pack seemed to cement Kemboi’s fate. But as the 2007 world champion Brimin Kipruto closed on the two champions from behind, just around the penultimate bend, the American started to tire as the older Kipruto, Kemboi and world leader Jairus Birech paced up past Jager.
Midway down the back straight on the last lap, the quartet of Kenyans started to leave behind Jager and the rest of the field and now the question was, just who of this four was going to get which medal? With 30 metres to go, it was Kemboi, at 33 the oldest man in the field, who again found a change of gear and he crossed the line in 8:11.28, before pointing at his head with both hands to indicate that he was still the boss.
Conseslus Kipruto, still only 21, took his second successive silver medal in 8:12.38 while the ‘other’ Kipruto returned to the podium in third place.
When Citizen TV Sports’ Mike Okinyi caught up with the champion after the race, ever-controversial Kemboi did not disappoint.
“Ya leo ilikua ni kupanga hesabu, kuweka mikakati, nijaribu vijana manaake ukikumbuka, mimi ni baba yao. Na kweli nimedhihirisha kwao kwamba baba yao bado yuko hai,” (Today it was about being tactical. I have proved that I am the man) he said.
But Kemboi still had more to say about his new hairstyle: “Hii hairstyle ni kama ile ya Ronaldo wa Brazil. Kwa sababu ukikumbuka, next year naelekea kule Brazil for Rio Olympics na hii style nimekata ni ya ule mchezaji wa Brazil.”
—Bits transcribed from CITIZEN TV’s Mike Okinyi’s interview.
