Lagos Marathon winner, Abraham Kiprotich reveals the symbolism behind winning the IAAF road race at 32, same age his late brother and mentor died. He spoke to TAIWO ALIMI.
Third Lagos City Marathon winner Abraham Kiprotich has a history with 32. For one, he claimed the IAAF Bronze Label road race last Saturday at the age of 32 and set a new all-comers record by shaving one second off the time, which he finished at 2:15:02.
Secondly, his older brother that inspired his dream; Paul Kipkoech died at the age of 32.
“Winning today (the Lagos marathon) is significant,” he began. “I am 32 and I can but remember my brother (Paul) Kipkoech, who inspired me to run road races died in 1995 at 32. This marathon brings back memories and that is why I want to dedicate this to him.”
Kipkoech was a Kenyan long-distance runner who specialized in the 10,000 metres and cross-country running. He became world champion over 10,000 m in 1987. In 1986 he ran the 3000 metres in 7:39.38 minutes, which was the third best time in the world that season, only behind Saïd Aouita and Sydney Maree.
He retired in 1988 due to illness and died in 1995 in a Kenyan hospital, only 32.
For Kiprotich, marathon race is about courage and perseverance and all he needed to make it to the top in the world distance races, he learnt from late Kipkoech.
Born in Kenyan hilly region of Nandi, Kiprotich said he grew up watching his brother conquer the hills. “As a toddler I usually follow him through the hills barefooted and when I got tired I would walk back home. He would always encourage us, the little ones so it was a big loss when he died prematurely.”
The Kenyan turned French athlete was just two when Kipkoech, won the gold medal at the 1987 World Championships in Athletics and, “that inspired many of us that were following him that time because he came back to Kenya a hero. We were proud of him and so when he died it affected us.”
Though Kipkoech died before Kiprotich had even reached his teenage years, he was already old enough to match his dream with his brother’s. “I was already a good runner when he took ill and we would go to his home for tips and he would freely give. He was a kind man and he touched many of us in our hearts.”
Back to the Lagos race, he noted that like all road races, it was a tactical race. A pacemaker led the relatively large lead pack through to the half-way point in little more than 68 minutes before making an exit. But despite having to run a large portion of the race without a pacemaker, the leaders managed to maintain – and even slightly increase – the tempo during the second half.
Twelve runners were still in contention at 35 kilometres, but only four of those remained in the lead pack five kilometres later. Ronny Kiboss, in a bid to improve on his runner-up finish from last year, tried to break away on several occasions during the closing stages, but each time he was reeled back in by Kiprotich. With 600 metres remaining, the 32-year-old put in a controlled surge before going on to win in 2:15:02.
He said: “I wanted break off but had to bid my time at the right time. I remained calm and took off at the right time. It was a good race. I am happy too that the time was good too.”
His winning time took one second off the Nigerian all-comer’s record of 2:15:03 set in Kaduna in 1971 by Ireland’s Sean Healy. Dogged by a doping case that took the shine off one of his brilliant races in 2013 at Istanbul, Turkey, Kiprotich said of the case: “It is in my past now.”
On 30 December 2013 it was announced that Kiprotich had failed a drug test directly after his Istanbul Marathon win, having returned a positive result for erythropoietin (EPO) in a urine sample. The leading French sports journal l’Equipe reported that this adverse finding, which related to his ‘A’ sample, surprised no-one, and would confirm – if the ‘B’ sample also proved positive – a suspicion in French athletic circles that Kiprotich was the athlete referred to on 17 April 2013 at a French senatorial anti-doping enquiry, when the president and technical director of the Fédération Française d’Athlétisme both noted that a French marathon runner who had won in Daegu had competed while subject to a two-week suspension for breaches of their medical surveillance regime. The positive test was subsequently confirmed by the B sample and he was stripped of his Istanbul Marathon title and given a two-year ban from competition.
“I have learnt my lesson and it will never repeat itself again. I have been training hard and late last year at Vodafone Istanbul Marathon I clocked 2:11:22; so winning in Lagos wasn’t a fluke,” he reassured.
It would be recalled that in the men’s category of Istanbul Marathon race was close as just five seconds separated the top two finishers.
A slow initial pace kept 14 athletes together through the halfway mark, reached in 1:05:47. The group had been whittled down to nine by 35 kilometres, and splits of 2:45 and 2:43 for the 37th and 39th kilometres respectively caused more runners to fall off the lead pack, eventually leaving Kiprotich and Kendagor ahead of the rest by 40 kilometres. Kiprotich went on to win in 2:11:22.
“I was in great form coming to Nigeria, and coming to Africa always bring fond memories. I hope to come back here next
