Adrian Diaz Lopez watched Elkana Kipruto run for the first time in August and knew his new teammate possessed special talent. Every step, every gliding movement, every low-stress workout, since confirms that impression.
"He's just flying," Lopez said. "Like he didn't stay on the ground. He makes running look easy. He's running super-fast and it's like 'Look at the guy, he's not even straining.'"
Kipruto, a sophomore, added to that impression with his win in the JK Gold Classic on Saturday morning on a muddy track at Clapp Cross Country Course.