Kenyan Conseslus Kipruto followed his Olympic and world titles by winning Thursday’s Diamond League steeplechase final ... with one shoe.
Kipruto’s left shoe came off early in the 3000m race, but he still managed to pass world silver medalist Soufiane El Bakkali of Morocco on the finishing straight in Zurich.
“I have big pain,” Kipruto said, according to meet organizers. “I am injured because I lost my left shoe. That was a mess.”
The field was one of the deepest of all time -- including the nine men who combined to own the 26 fastest times in the world this year.
U.S. Olympic silver medalist Evan Jager was looking to become the first American to break eight minutes. It didn’t happen. Jager was third in 8:13.22.
Kipruto had looked vulnerable in 2018 with three Diamond League defeats.
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This foot just won a Diamond. @Diamond_League @KipConseslus pic.twitter.com/VjB7xgKpSi
— Michel Boeting (@one4onesports) August 30, 2018
