Paris Olympics: Abraham Kibiwott banking on experience to mine steeplechase gold for Kenya

Reigning Commonwealth Games steeplechase champion Abraham Kibiwott will be the most experienced Kenyan at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games aiming to reclaim a gold medal in the disciple.

Previously, Kenya could count one gold medal in the bag before the Olympic Games could even begin by virtue of their sheer dominance in steeplechase.

But in recent years, Kenya has lost grip on the race to Morocco and Ethiopia who are proving to be a force to reckon with in the water and barrier race.

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At 28, Kibiwott will be banking on his experience to return gold back to Kenya after Morocco’s Soufiane El Bakkali ended the country’s 36-year Olympic dominance in the event.

Kibiwott will be hoping for an improved performance at his return to the Olympics after fizzling out to finish 10th with a time of 8:19.41.

With the substandard performance in the delayed 2020 Tokyo Olympics, he managed to finish as the second placed Kenyan with the final only having two athletes from Africa’s greatest Olympic nation.

Early career-

Having run a number of races in the local scene, Kibiwott made his international berth at the 2013 African Youth Athletics Championships where he secured fifth place in the 2000m steeplechase.

He however fully announced himself to the international scene two years later when he secured gold at the 2015 African Junior Athletics Championships where he beat the then reigning Youth Olympic champion Wogene Sebisibe.

Career milestone-

Kibiwott has collected a number of memorable medals with his major maiden gong being a bronze medal during the 2016 Africa Games, held in South Africa.

He went one better in the Commonwealth Games two years later, finishing millimetres behind Conseslus Kipruto who was the then reigning Olympic champion.

The 28-year-old again moved a step higher in the podium, this time clinching gold in the 2022 Commonwealth Games after beating India’s Avinash Sable, and compatriot Amos Serem.

During the 2023 World Championships in Budapest, Kibiwott returned with a bronze medal after finishing behind Soufiane El Bakkali, and Leonard Bett.

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Olympic qualification-

Kibiwott clinched the final available ticket to Paris after finishing third in the Olympic National Trials at a time of 8:23.41 behind Simon Koech and Amos Serem who finished first.

Preparation for Olympics-

Kibiwott has taken part in six steeplechase races this year but has only competed in one race after sealing an Olympic ticket.

The lanky athlete finished third at the Paris Diamond League in early July behind Amos Serem and Ethiopia’s Abrham Sime who won the race.

Earlier in the year, Kibiwott had anticipated for an event packed schedule but he seems to have slowed down on his races in this Olympic year.

“This could be one of the busiest years in my career. I have lined up various events that will culminate at the Olympic Games,” said Kibiwott back in January.

Competition at Olympics-

Aside from his compatriots Serem and Koech reigning champion El Bakkali and world record holder Lamecha Girma from Ethiopia will be Kibiwott’s biggest threat.

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Medal prospects-

Despite having frosty relations with the Olympics after failing to make the finals of the 2016 National Olympics trials and disappointing in the 2020 edition, Kibiwott packs experience enough to propel him to a silver medal.