Benson Kipruto relishing opportunity to represent Kenya in Paris Olympics

Kenyan long-distance runner Benson Kipruto says it will be a “privilege” to run for his country in the upcoming 2024 Paris Olympic Games in August.

The 33-year-old was last week among the names selected to represent the country in the summer games, joining a studded list of athletes including: two-time Olympic champion Eliud Kipchoge, Alexander Mutiso, Vincent Kipkemoi Ngetich and Timothy Kiplagat.

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With many strings to his marathon bow that includes winning the Boston Marathon in 2021, Chicago Marathon in 2022 and Tokyo Marathon earlier this year, the streets of Paris months down the line will present Kipruto his first opportunity at donning the colors of the national team.

“Competing in the Olympics will mean a lot having in mind that I’ve never run for my team or represented my country,” Kipruto, speaking to World Athletics Inside Track in his training base in Kapsabet, Nandi said. “If I qualify to be in the team I will do my best to represent the country.”

On how he plans to shift his focus from what has been an individual journey on the road since setting foot at Athens Classic Marathon in 2016 to a team environment, he said: “That will be something new to me and I am learning how to run for the team. I know that I will love it so much since I am determined to run for my country that I love.”

What will not be different however, will be his approach in Paris.

“I don’t have any pressure because I understand what it means. I am the one running, have been in every other race, and I know the importance of not being under pressure and staying cool. I am ready,” he said.

Drawing his inspiration from Kipchoge, winner of the 2026 and 2020 Games in Rio and Tokyo respectively, Kipruto hopes that he “will follow in his footsteps” even as he goes against he former's quest to claim a consecutive hat-trick.

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Kipruto’s race strategy in Paris will be solely mental, and one that will need virtues of “patience and focus.”

“The key is to stay patient until the last part of the marathon,” he said. “So when you are on the start-line, its always important to forget everything.

“The race is 40km plus and you have to be patient, focused and not thinking about the last stages while you are still on the start.”

Should he line up in Paris, everything that he thinks about every morning, and even passes on to his younger peers, will be in his mind.

“The future is bright, so you always aim higher.”