mzungo.org friend Asbel Kiprop "I really want to win at the Olympics."

Daily Nation reports for mzungo.org

Once in a while Kenya produces a 1,500 metres runner who takes the world by storm. But it has taken nine years to discover a natural heir to the legacy Noah Ngeny left behind at the 2000 Sydney Olympics.

The man Kenya has primed for better days ahead, depending on how he is nurtured, is Asbel Kiprop. At 20, Kiprop is due to be confirmed as an Olympic champion after Bahrain’s Rashid Ramzi tested positive for a banned substance when he scooped gold in Beijing last year.

Luck has not, however, been on Kiprop’s side. Having burst into the global scene at the Algiers All Africa Games in 2007 and confirmed as a formidable force in the four-lap race, poor tactic cost him his first major global title at the World Championship in Osaka where he finished fourth (3:35.24) behind compatriot Shadrack Korir who took bronze.
“I made mistakes in Osaka, but I am working on that. I really want to win at the Olympics,” said Kiprop upon his return from Japan.
He went on to rectify his mistakes and was only denied the Beijing gold by a devastating sprint by Ramzi in the final 200m stretch to settle for silver. The Bahraini clocked 3:32.94 ahead of Kiprop (3:33.11) and New Zealand’s Nicholas Willis (3:34.16).

But there is a small task of qualifying for the global track and field event on Saturday during the explosive New KCC national trials at Nyayo.
History has shown that in every Kenyan selection competition, a spoiler usually emerges. Nicholas Kemboi (3:35.05) was that man in the Beijing trials, finishing second to force his way into the team.
He is expected to make another bid despite being unimpressive in the build-up.

William Biwott, who in Oslo became the first junior to break the 3:50-minute mark in the mile with his 3:49.29 run, as well as freshly-minted World Junior mile record holder William Tanui (3:31.70), might serve as spoilers as they seek to carve a niche in the senior cadre.

But Kiprop is relishing the challenge and will take it in his stride. When subjected to a test in Rome a fortnight ago he answered his critics with solid run to set a new personal best of 3:31.20, a career best for the miler who continues to show experience beyond his age. But he faces tough opposition in his bid to inherit the Ngeny seat from Commonwealth Games 5,000m champion Augustine Choge, who holds the best time over the four-lap race this season with a time of 3:29.47 that was set in Berlin on June 14.

Also keen to make a mark at the world stage is Africa champion Haron Keitany. The 25-year-old set a personal best time of 3:30.20 while trailing Choge in Berlin. Kemboi claimed his scalp in the Beijing trials and he is now ready to fight for his slot.
World Indoor 1,500m silver medallist Daniel Kipchirchir Komen (3:31.40), Gideon Gathimba (3:33.63) and Geoffrey Rono (3:32.55) will all be keen to make the team.
Kenya has won three 1,500m silvers at the championship - 1,500m through Wilfred Kirochi (1991), Ngeny (1999) and Bernard Lagat (2001), who is now an American.