Olympic steeplechase champion tests positive for COVID-19

Conseslus Kipruto, the Olympic and world steeplechase champion, tested positive for COVD-19 on Saturday. Kipruto was scheduled to race in Monaco on Friday, aiming to break the current steeplechase world record of 7:53.63, held by Saif Saaeed Shaheen of Qatar.

He wrote on his Instagram, “Unfortunately my COVID-19 test, as part of the Monaco protocol, came back positive and therefore I can’t be part of the Monaco Diamond League on August 14. I don’t have any symptoms and I was actually in great shape.”

RELATED: Kipruto loses shoe, wins Diamond League 3,000m steeple final

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Kiprtuo’s positive test isn’t the first of the elite track community. One week ago, 400m world record holder Wayde van Niekerk tested positive just ahead of a race in Italy, despite being asymptomatic as well. His test was later reported as a false positive. 

RELATED: Wayde van Niekerk tests positive for COVID-19

Monaco Diamond League is the most ambitious track race of 2020

This Friday the Monaco Diamond League will run the most ambitious track and field program of the summer. The full-size meet will run 15 events, each with an impressive list of competitors including world champions, world record holders, Olympic champions and two Canadians: Matt Hughes and Marco Arop. 

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Hughes will run the 3,000m steeplechase in hopes of breaking his personal best and Canadian record of 8:11.64 which he set in 2013. He posted on his Instagram that he’s currently in Sweden, where he’ll race a 2,000m tomorrow and then fly to Monaco for his first steeplechase of the year. 

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Arop is the young 800m runner who surprised everyone at the 2018 national championships when he beat Canadian record holder Brandon McBride to the line in the final. He followed up his impressive 2018 with an even stronger 2019, making the final at his first world championships in Doha last October. 

RELATED: McBride bested by Arop in 800m upset on final day of ACTF competition

The event gets underway this Friday August 14 at 7:40 p.m. local time and 1:40 p.m. ET. Arop is set to run at 2:12 p.m. ET and Hughes at 3:47 p.m. The full schedule can be found here. 

RELATED: Marco Arop is going pro