NAIROBI, Feb. 27 (Xinhua) -- Olympic steeplechase champion Conseslus Kipruto has warned world record holder Saif Saaeed Shaheen of Qatar that his mark of 7:53.63 is coming down in 2019.
Speaking in Eldoret on Wednesday, Kipruto said he believes he has the strength to take the record and wants it off his bucket list this season before focusing on retaining his Olympic gold medal in Tokyo in 2020.
"We all have our plans and it is about being able to live your dream. I have no big challenge this season other than seeking to defend my world title in Doha, Qatar and giving everything to break the world record in Monaco," said Kipruto.
"Kenyan athletes need to reclaim that record from Qatar this year, God willing."
Kipruto's best performance in the water and hurdle race is 8:00.12, which he set almost three years ago in Birmingham. But that has not stopped the 25-year-old from dreaming of shattering Shaheen's 15-year-old record.
Kipruto says he is inspired to have the world record under his name, having won the IAAF Diamond League trophy, and African, Commonwealth, world and Olympic titles.
"I start my season early with the cross country. It is about me improving on my endurance and though I still feel rusty, the training camp will help me peak earlier in the season. After the World Cross Country Championships in Denmark [on March 30], I intend to return to speed training and head to Doha for the Diamond League [on May 3]," said Kipruto.