Rhonex Kipruto wins the 10,000m at the IAAF World U20 Championships Tampere 2018 (Getty Images) © Copyright
NAIROBI, Kenya, Nov 12 – World Under-20 champion in the men’s 10,000m Rhonex Kipruto of Kenya is among five finalists shortlisted for the 2018 IAAF Male Rising Star Award.
Kipruto, 19-year-old, who is the African Junior Cross-Country champion, will battle it out for the award with Ethiopian long-distance runner Selemon Barega, jumper Jordan Diaz from Cuba, Armand Duplantis from Sweden who is the Paul Vault World U20 champion and middle-distance runner Jakob Ingebrigtsen from Norway.
Kipruto had a fantastic 2018 season, setting a world lead in the IAAF World U20 championships in 10,000m, clocking 27:21:08 to win gold.
He also holds two world U20 bests and world senior lead at road 10km with 26:46, just two seconds outside the senior world record
The winner will be announced live on stage at the IAAF Athletics Awards 2018 in Monaco on Tuesday December 4.
The nominees are:
Selemon Barega (ETH)
– IAAF Diamond League champion at 5000m with a world U20 record of 12:43.02, the world’s quickest time since 2005
– World indoor silver at 3000m
– Fourth at World U20 and African Championships 5000m
Jordan Diaz (CUB)
– World U20 lead at triple jump with 17.41m, a world U18 best
– World U20, Youth Olympic and (senior) North/Central American & Caribbean champion
– Central American & Caribbean Games silver
Armand Duplantis (SWE)
– European (senior) champion at pole vault with a world-leading height of 6.05m, which has been bettered outdoors only by Sergey Bukba
– World U20 champion
– Eight world U20 records or bests, indoors and out
Jakob Ingebrigtsen (NOR)
– European (senior) champion at 1500m and 5000m
– World U20 lead at 1500m with 3:31.18
– World U20 silver at 1500m and bronze at 5000m
Rhonex Kipruto (KEN)
– World U20 champion and world U20 lead at 10,000m with 27:21.08
– Two world U20 bests and world senior lead at road 10km with 26:46, just two seconds outside the senior world record
– African junior cross-country champion
