| Intro | Kenyan long-distance runner |
| Is | Athlete |
| From | Kenya |
| Type | Sports |
| Gender | male |
| Birth | 12 October 1999 |
| Age: | 20 years |
| Star sign | Libra |
Rhonex (or Rhonnex) Kipruto (born 12 October 1999) is a Kenyan long-distance runner. He is the 2018 10,000 metres World U20 champion and the 2019 10000 metres bronze medalist.
His 10 km road race personal best of 26:46 is the second fastest time ever.
Career
Rhonex Kipruto’s parents are farmers. He grew up in Kombatich and his coach is Colm O’Connell.
2017
In 2017 Kipruto came in third at the 10k in Prague in a time of 27:13.
2018
On 10 February 2018 he placed second in the Kenyan National Cross Country Championships. The 8 km Junior Men run was won by Stanley Waithaka in 22:09.2 and Kipruto came in in 22:30.3. The following month on 17 March, he participated in the African Cross Country Championships U20 race in Algeria. He won the 8 km run in 25:01, 5 seconds ahead of Stanley Waithaka. Kipruto won the UAE Healthy Kidney 10k in Central Park, New York City, U.S. on 29 April 2018. Leonard Komon (10k world record holder) set the then course record with 27:35 in 2011. Kipruto finished in 27:08, the fastest 10k on a record eligible course on US soil.
He went to the IAAF World U20 World Championships that took place from in Tampere, Finland from 10–15 July 2018. On 10 July 2018, he won the World U20 Championship title in the 10,000 m with a time of 27:21.08, a new championship record. Jacob Kiplimo of Uganda (The 2017 U20 cross country world champion) placed second 22 seconds behind, with a time of 27:40.36 and Berihu Aregawi of Ethiopia came in third with 27:48.41.
On 8 September 2018, he ran in his third 10k race the second-fastest time for a 10 km road race (behind the world record of Leonard Komon, 26:44 from 2010) with his winning time of 26:46 in Prague. Geoffrey Koech came in second in 27:18 and Mathew Kimeli finished ranked third in 27:26.
2019
Kipruto placed 6th in the mens senior race at the Kenyan Cross Country Championships on 23 February 2019 in Eldoret. He finished 18 seconds behind Amos Kirui’s winning time of 29:51 in the 10 km race.
He ran in the mens senior race at the 2019 IAAF World Cross Country Championship in Aarhus, Denmark. Kipruto finished 6th in a time of 32:17 out of 144 starters. The run was won by Joshua Cheptegei (Uganda) in 31:40 and Jacob Kiplimo placed second in 31:44. However, Kipruto won the silver medal in the team ranking with Kenya behind Uganda and ahead of Ethiopia.
On 4 July 2019, Kipruto won the Peachtree Road Race, in Atlanta, Georgia, with a time of 27:01, breaking the previous course record and setting the record for the fastest 10k time ever on American soil. The Association of Road Racing Statisticians describes this race as “Acceptable for ranking, no record quality…”. The former course record was set in 1996 with a time of 27:04 by Joseph Kimani. Kipruto’s brother Bravin Kiptoo placed second with a time of 27:29 and Kennedy Kimutai finished third place with 27:54.
At the Kenyan National Championships on 21 August, Kipruto placed second in the 10000 m in a time of 27:26.34. The race was won by Geoffrey Kamworor in a time of 27:24.76.
2019 IAAF World Championhips in Doha, Qatar
On 6th Oct 2019 Kipruto raced the 10000 m. The winner was Joshua Cheptegei (Uganda) in 26:48.36, the runner up was Yomif Kejelcha (Ethopia) in 26:49.34. Kipruto took the bronze medal in 26:50.32.
Results
| Distance | Time | Date | Location | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3000 m | 7:48.08 | 19 May 2018 | Cambridge, MA, USA | |
| 10,000 m | 26:50.16 | 30 May 2019 | Stockholm, Sweden | |
| 2000 m Steeplechase | 5:44.8 | 17 June 2015 | Nairobi, Kenya | |
| 10 km (road) | 26:46 | 8 September 2018 | Prague, Czech Republic |