Kipruto’s injury worries ahead of London World Championships

Nairobi, July 19 (IANS) Olympic 3,000 metre steeplechase champion Conseslus Kipruto may miss the World Championships in London next month after he aggravated his ankle injury.

Kipruto, who is facing a reality test against his mentor and challenger Ezekiel Kemboi, failed to finish the Rabat race citing an ankle injury and is out to seek rehabilitation and doctor's approval before he resumes competition.

However, time is not on his side with the World Championships just two weeks away, reports Xinhua news agency.

"I still have a lot of trouble with my right ankle. I decided to race in Rabat to gauge how it will react. I was hoping the pain would stay away. But it was wise to leave the race and try to get healthy," he said.

Kipruto was also forced to pull out of the Ostrava Golden Spike meeting in June because of the injury and his failure to finish the race in Morocco is clear indication he will be sweating on the doctor's bench ahead of the World Championships.

Meanwhile, organisers of the Monaco Diamond League meeting have confirmed that former Olympic champion Brimin Kipruto will be leading the elite list of athletes for the event on Friday.

Kipruto holds the fastest time, which dates back in 2011, where he completed the race in 7:54.64, only one hundredth of a second off from the world record. Also racing will be the World Champion Ezekiel Kemboi (Kenya) and the French Bouabdellah Tahri.

Kemboi, who will be bowing out for retirement at the World Championships in London, wants to leave a mark after he was denied his bronze medal at the Rio Olympics.