Kipruto eyeing podium finish in Chicago after shaking off knee injury

After recovering from a nagging knee injury, former world bronze medalist Amos Kipruto is plotting announce his return with a podium finish in the Chicago Marathon scheduled for October 13.

Kipruto hasn't competed since his third-place finish in the Thailand's Bangsaen21 Half Marathon in December last year due to the setback suffered earlier in the year. 

The 2022 London Marathon champion is, however, in good spirits and carefully planning to be among the top three finishers at Chicago.

Among the marathoners who will be up against the 2018 Tokyo Marathon silver medalist are debutant Daniel Ebenyo, John Korir and Vincent Ngetich. 

From the list of the elite runners released by the organisers, Kipruto and Ngetich have the best times. 

Should the 32-year old hit his target in the streets of Chicago, he will take his podium finishes in a world marathon majors to four having won once and settled for silver twice. 

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"The training has been smooth from the time I resumed training. I am hoping to run a good race and make it to the podium in Chicago. It is not easy to be out for a while and land an invite for a big marathon like Chicago," he said. 

Kenyan marathoners have broken records on the Chicago course in the past editions and it will not come as a surprise if Kipruto and his compatriots register impressive times. 

Last year, the late Kelvin Kiptum obliterated the men's record after clocking 2:00:35, shaving 35 seconds from the previous best time held by Eliud Kipchoge in the process.

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It is at Chicago where Brigid Kosgei broke the women's record in 2019 after stopping the clock in 2:14:04. Ethiopia's Tigist Assefa smashed the record in September last year after clocking 2:11:53 in Berlin. 

Despite admitting to be in relatively good shape ahead of this year's race, Kipruto remains coy on lowering his personal best which stands at 2:03:13.

" I have the ambition of lowering my personal best but I can't commit to do it Chicago. However, things do change and depending on the weather and other factors, I might have run fast," he said.