By Alex Castle
Coming into the 2018 Prefontaine Classic, Benjamin Kigen wasn’t expecting much out of his ninth career race in the 3,000-meter steeplechase.
“I was expecting top eight,” Kigen said. “I was not expecting to win this race.”
But Kigen did just that, stunning the field and outkicking two Olympic medalists to win in a personal best and world-leading time of 8 minutes, 9.07 seconds at Hayward Field on Saturday afternoon. The Kenyan ran his last 400 meters in 57.89 to beat Conseslus Kipruto and Evan Jager.
“I was impressed with his last lap,” Jager said. “And honestly surprised that it wasn’t Conseslus making that big move. I just assumed that Conseslus was going to have something.”
Kigen, originally a 1,500-meter runner, competed in his first 3,000-meter steeplechase in 2017 and had a personal best of 8:11.38 at Monaco in July 2017. He was far from a favorite in the Eugene Diamond League race. But after his victory, the 24-year-old Kenyan, who said he was actually afraid of racing the two 2016 Rio Olympic medalists coming into the day, has raised his expectations.
“I have hopes now,” Kigen said. “Now I have seen that I have the ability to beat them.”
Kipruto, the reigning world champion, led the way for the majority of the race until Kigen overtook him in the final lap to finish two seconds ahead of Kipruto and Jager, who finished in an identical 8:11.71. Kipruto outleaned Jager at the finish.
Having won gold at the 2018 Commonwealth Games back in April with what was then the world’s top time of the year at 8:10.08, Kipruto was unhappy with his second-place finish despite his body still recovering from contracting malaria.
“It’s not bad,” the 2013 Pre Classic winner said. “But I’m so disappointed.”
Jager, the American record holder and bronze medalist at the 2017 world championships, fought hard with Kipruto down the final stretch.
“I was happy to be able to close with him,” he said. “It was fun be able to push him to that line and feel fast and strong in the last 100 meters rather than just hanging on and dying.”
Jager, a breakout star himself when he finished sixth at the 2012 London Olympics in his first year in the event, knows the challenge of competing with the world’s bests as a newcomer.
“It’s impressive,” he said. “He had the confidence to make that move against the reigning world and Olympic champion, who has kind of made a name for himself with his finishing kick.”
After the event was dominated by Kipruto, Jager and the 2017 world silver medalist Soufiane El Bakkali a year ago, Kigen’s win represented a disruption of the hierarchy.
“It’s nice having a new face in the crowd,” Jager said. “Maybe it changes the dynamic we’re going to have the rest of the year.”
Next up for Kigen is the Rome Diamond League next weekend, but for now he can enjoy his Pre Classic victory. “I’m very proud of today,” he said.
