Cheruiyot exudes confidence ahead of titanic battle with Ingebrigtsen

As the athletics programme gets underway at the  Paris 2024 Olympic Games, all eyes will be on the men's 1,500m race, where two bitter rivals are set to flex muscles for medals and bragging rights.

Kenya's Timothy Cheruiyot and Norwegian Jakob Ingebrigtsen will renew their rivalry in the three-and-a-half lap race at Stade De France.

They last locked horns at the Diamond League Meeting in Monaco early in the year, where Cheruiyot wrapped up behind his Norwegian nemesis.

Unfazed by the defeat, the Olympic 1500m silver medallist has vowed to turn the tables on Jacob in the French capital.

Cheruiyot punched a ticket to the quadrennial global showpiece after blazing to a third-place finish in 3:35.90 at the Kenyan Olympic trials.

Cheruiyot, 28, will face Jacob who clocked 3:26.73 in Monaco. He also finished second behind Ingebrigtsen at the Diamond League Meeting in Oslo.

He looks forward to improving on his silver medal won at the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games. “I'm ready for the race in Paris. I've worked hard to improve my speed and endurance,” Cheruiyot remarked.

Born in Singorwet, Bomet County, Cheruiyot has been training on the outskirts of Nairobi as a member of the Rongai Athletics Club (RAC), which is directed by coach Bernard Ouma since 2014. 

He is the current 1500m Olympic silver medalist, 2019 World Champion,  and four-time Diamond League trophy winner (2021, 2019, 2018, 2017).

Cheruiyot holds personal bests in the 1500m (3.28.28, Monaco 2021), mile (3.49.64, Eugene 2017) and 800m (1.43.11, Nairobi 2019).

The Distance Medley Relay (DMR) at the 2015 IAAF World Relays Championships in the Bahamas was a pivotal event in his early career.

"It was my first time operating at DMR, flying in an aircraft, and representing Kenya in an international stadium for the first time. The intended goal for me was to help rewrite the current DMR World Record held by Kenya. Then, no pressure! On that particular day, Team USA won the WR, but I still took home silver and learned a lot. I was hungry to get better, but I needed a lot more experience."

Three weeks later at the Prefontaine Classic International Mile in Eugene, there was a rematch with Ben Blankenship. With a strong first-mile pace of 3.53, he finished third overall.

"But my focus shifted to attempting to qualify for the Beijing World Championships. I made it through the early qualification rounds and secured a spot in the final. I was seventh in the world after my first season.”

Wins in the Rabat Diamond League, a silver medal at the African Championships in Durban and a second-place finish in the Anniversary Games Ermsley Car Mile in London were all achieved in 2016.

"Due to my agonisingly close fourth place finish at the Kenyan Olympic Trials, Rio was not going to happen for me. I was rather let down, but then there was another breakthrough.

"I won a silver medal and concluded the 2017 season as the second-fastest individual in the world over 1500 metres. After the London World Championships, I felt much more confident and to crown the season, I won the Diamond League final. Since there were no significant championships in 2018, I focused on improving my speed and Diamond League racing.”

After going undefeated in all domestic Kenyan races and Diamond League contests, he successfully defended his Diamond League crown in Zurich.

"I set season records in the mile and 1500m with timings of 3.28.41 and 3.49.87 respectively, and finished first for the first time this year. It was an honour to be one of the ten athletes that the IAAF nominated.”

He suffered his first-ever minor injury at the end of 2018 and the beginning of 2019, which caused him to miss several months of the outdoor season's build-up.

"I gained a lot of knowledge about how to handle injuries, maintain discipline, stay goal-focused and most importantly, enjoy what I do. 2019 was going to be a tremendous year, I knew.

"I dropped to the 800m and set a personal best of 1.43.13 to win the Kenyan National Championships but I still maintained my position as the world's best 1500m runner. Except for my first race in Doha in May, when I was gradually getting back into racing following my injury during the winter build-up, I won every Diamond League event.”

He achieved his objective of defending his Diamond League trophy. But the season ending with a gold medal at the IAAF World Championships in Doha was his biggest achievement and proudest moment; something he always dreamed of and worked hard for since he was a teenager.

"It was an amazing feeling to finally get gold for Kenya. 2020  was a year with so many challenges due to the novel coronavirus pandemic that kept athletes grounded.

"Little did I know when I was in New York in November at the Nike Forum that that would be my last travel for five months. I am so grateful for the few races I did manage to run in Monaco, Stockholm, Doha and Nairobi. 

"One goal accomplished was the successful defence of my Diamond League trophy. However, my greatest accomplishment and proudest moment of the season was winning a gold medal at the IAAF World Championships in Doha; I had dreamed about this since I was a teenager. The feeling of finally having gold for Kenya was incredible.”

Tokyo was the next stop after Athletics Kenya officially accepted him onto the Kenyan Olympic team.

After navigating both rounds, a renowned and historic final was reached. Cheruiyot won a silver medal and the individual's goal of winning an Olympic medal was realised.

"With my level of fitness, I gave it my all, and Jakob Ingebrigsten of Norway raced a fantastic race beside me, setting fast timings of 3.28.41 while I ran 3.29.01.

He returned to Zurich at the end of the 2021 season to defend the three Diamond League trophies he had won in a row.

"During the Zurich meet, Jakob and I trailed McSweyn and it turned into a difficult struggle on the home straight. This time, I turned the tables and gave it everything.  I had to win four Diamond League Trophies."

A nagging injury made it difficult for him to produce a desired performance in Budapest.

"World Championships in Budapest was challenging for me. Even though I had done well in the Oslo Diamond League, I knew something was wrong before the semi-final because I had not performed at my best during the heats. I did not make it to the World Champions final for the first time in my career.

Brokenhearted, the post-championship diagnosis of a knee injury entailed a critical period of recuperation, followed by a more thorough diagnostic and therapy both domestically and overseas. 

“Even though this is the hardest time of my life, I am motivated to be part of the Paris Olympics. I had already booked my ticket to the Olympics in Paris before Monaco.”

Getting to the top has not been a walk in the park.

"Overall, it's taken me eight years of hard work with consistent training plus a trusted personal support structure to reach my current level. Thanks to you - my fans - for all your support. ″

After the Paris Games, Cheruiyot said he would be training his sights on the 2028 Games in Los Angeles. "Yes, I'll be there,” he said. 

Away from his busy athletics schedule, Cheruiyot prefers a private life.

"My priorities are spending time with my family in Bomet and on my farm, taking care of my health during the off-season and strengthening up in the gym,” he said.