Olympic champion Conseslus Kipruto has tested positive for Covid-19.
Kipruto, 25, broke the news through a Twitter post on Saturday, saying he was diagnosed after undergoing a mandatory test ahead of his trip to Monaco for the upcoming Monaco Diamond League scheduled to start on August 14th.
The World 3,000m steeplechase champion required a Covid-19-free certificate to be cleared to travel to France for the elite competition.
This means he will not participate in Monaco meet—the first event of the athletics season since the global outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic.
“Our World is going through a challenging period and we all have to take our responsibilities. Unfortunately, my covid-19 test, as part of the Monaco-protocol, came back positive, and therefore I can’t be part of the Monaco Diamond League,” Kipruto wrote.
“I don’t have any symptoms and I was actually in great shape. Wish to thank Monaco for all the work they have done and I wish them and my colleagues a wonderful competition. Athletics is back and I will be back as well,” he added.
Kipruto was looking to smash the 3,000m steeplechase World Record of 7:53.63 held by Kenyan-born Stephen Cherono of Qatar in 2004.
“I was planning to go for the WR: it has stayed too long outside Kenya. As the World & Olympic Champion I feel strongly it’s something I should go for as well,” he said.
Kenya has so far recorded a total of 25,837 cases of Covid-19 and 418 deaths.
