Ishmael Kipkurui (R) with Daniel Ebenyo during a training session/ TEDDY MULEI 

The 2023 World Under-20 cross-country champion, Ishmael Kipkurui, will be under the microscope in the men’s 3,000m at today’s (Wednesday) Belgrade Indoor Meeting.

‎Kipkurui has already tasted action on the indoor circuit in his 2026 campaign and will be keen to build momentum as the season gathers pace. ‎On Sunday, he stopped the clock at 7:40.82 to finish seventh at the Karlsruhe Indoor Meeting in Germany over the 3,000m.

‎Dutchman Stefan Nillesen stormed to victory in 7:38.48, with Kenya’s Jacob Krop breathing down his neck in 7:38.64. ‎Uruguay’s Valentin Soca rounded off the podium in 7:38.90.

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‎Kipkurui had opened his 2026 season earlier at the World Cross Country Championships in Tallahassee, Florida, on January 10, where he finished fifth in the senior men’s 10km, in 28:53.  ‎Uganda’s Jacob Krop claimed the world title in 28:18 ahead of Ethiopian Berihu Aregawi (28:36) and Kenya’s Daniel Ebenyo (28:45).

‎The 20-year-old will be hoping to turn promise into podiums this year following a mixed bag of results in the 2025 season. ‎He began the 2025 indoor season with a fifth-place finish in the indoor mile at the Dr Martin Luther King Invitational, where he timed 4:03.46.

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‎That outing was followed by 13th place in the 5,000m (13:22.03) at Boston University, second in the 3,000m (7:55.36) at the Mountain West meet, and seventh in the 5,000m (13:15.14) at the NCAA Indoor Championships. ‎His outdoor campaign burst into life at The TEN, where he powered to victory in the 10,000m in a sizzling 26:50.21.

‎Kipkurui then secured second place in the 5,000m (13:09.24) at the Bryan Clay Invitational and another runner-up finish in the 10,000m (28:40.28) at the Don Kirby meet before returning to the top step of the podium at the Mountain View meet over 5,000m in 13:26.84.

‎That rich vein of form culminated in him being crowned NCAA 10,000m champion after clocking 29:07.70.

‎Kipkurui, however, suffered heartbreak on the global stage at the Tokyo World Championships, where he narrowly missed out on a medal, finishing fourth in 28:56.48. ‎France’s Jimmy Grassier (28:55.77) edged Ethiopian Yomif Kejelcha (28:55.83) and Sweden’s Andreas Almgren (28:56.02) in a blanket finish for the podium.