KIPROP HOPES FOR FOURTH BOWERMAN MILE TITLE
By David Monti
(c) 2013 Race Results Weekly, all rights reserved - Used with permission.

EUGENE, OREGON (31-May) -- In a sense, Kenya's Asbel Kiprop has a perfect record at the Prefontaine Classic, which will be held here at the University of Oregon's Hayward Field for the 39th time tomorrow.

Although Kiprop, 23, has "only" won the prestigious Bowerman Mile three out of the four times he has raced it, he has always run fast, breaking the 3:50 barrier every time.  He said here today that he is especially motivated to run well after his disappointing season last year where he finished last in the Olympic final, hampered by a hamstring injury which he suffered only one week before the Games.

"This year I have a point to prove," Kiprop told reporters here today.  "Also, it is my pleasure to run here in Eugene, to try to win it here for the fourth time.  I'd love to have a record of winning many races here."

In Kiprop's Prefontaine debut in 2009 --the year after he finished second in the Beijing Olympics but was later elevated to the gold medal position when Bahrain's Rashid Ramzi was disqualified for doping-- he ran a blistering 3:48.50 in a close contest over compatriot Haron Keitany.  That time remains his personal best and was the fastest mile run by anyone during the 2009 season.  He won again in 2010 in 3:49.75, easing off down the homestretch, two months after winning the African Championships at 1500m.  In 2011 he was relegated to third place, clocking 3:49.55 behind Keitany and Silas Kiplagat.  Last year, he was back on top again in 3:49.40, winning handily over Ethiopia's Mekonnen Gebremedhin.

Kiprop expects tomorrow's race to be fast (organizers have asked the pacemakers to clock 2:50 through 1200m), and he is ready.  He has won both of his IAAF Diamond League races so far this season, winning the 1500m at both Doha (3:31.13) and Shanghai (3:32.39).  The meeting record of 3:48.28 (Daniel Kipchirchir Komen, 2007) is within his reach, he said.

"I actually, want to run faster, I want to run a fast race, because I had it in 2009, 3:48.5.  I want to do something better than that."

Proclaiming himself healthy, Kiprop said that his come-from-behind victory in Shanghai --where he passed nearly the whole field in the final 250 meters-- showed that he can win any kind of race, adapting to all conditions.

"I cannot say I prefer a slow race or a fast race," he said.  "If you want to be winning races you have to be prepared for any kind of a race that comes your way."

Tomorrow, Kiprop will be facing the enigmatic Olympic champion Taoufik Makhloufi of Alberia, and he is clearly savoring the chance to even the score.  Makhloufi has not raced yet this season.

"It is a good time for me, actually, because I'm not injured at the moment," Kiprop explained.  "I want to see Makhloufi beat me when I'm OK.  That's what I'm looking for."

ENDS