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Robert Kiprop has explained why he dedicated his Iten cross-country crown to his home supporters.
Robert Kiprop dedicated his Cross-Country victory in Iten on Saturday, November 2 to his passionate hometown fans.
The 2019 African Games 5000m champion was encouraged to compete in the third leg of the Athletics Kenya Cross-Country series by his family and friends who turned up in their numbers to cheer him on at the home of the champions.
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“You know I come from here; this is my hometown and last year I won in this same race. I have been preparing for it for quite some time and did not even take part in the first and second leg of the series," he said.
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Robert Kiprop claims victory in Iten Cross-Country as Asbel Kiprop comes second
The pair of Robert Kiprop and Asbel Kiprop were miles ahead of the competition as the duo battled it out for supremacy in the historic Iten ground.
He further pointed out how the fanbase gave him the support and as a result, he could not afford to disappoint them. "My family and friends told me to concentrate on this leg because they wanted to come and watch me in action. I am happy that I have made them proud,” said the Breda Half Marathon champion.
Kiprop cut the tape in 30:38.7 ahead of second-placed Asbel Kiprono (30:47.7) and Vincent Kiptoo who came in third in 31:20.4.
The 27-year-old maintained that as much as he was confident ahead of the race, he had to stick to his guns from the start. "I was determined to win and always believed I could do it. When I saw that my closest competitor was falling off with 1.5km to go, I knew I had to take that chance and take the lead. I maintained my pace and stuck to my tactics. I knew I would strike at the most appropriate moment."
He was part of the Kenya Team to the Africa Cross Country in Tunisia, February despite missing out on the Paris Olympics.
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