The Ethiopians teamed up to keep the pace more than honest, Chala Beyo taking out the first two laps before Wale took over.
Their teenage teammate Lamecha Girma led through 2000m in 5:22.95, and at that point Kipruto was sitting in, trying his best to focus on the task as he heard his name roared countless times from the hordes of Kenyans in the stands.
"It was an amazing crowd," he says. "I was like, I'm in a competition, I should focus on this. But that made me fight, especially in the last 50 meters. I planned to jump the last barrier with Wale but I made some mistakes," Kipruto says.
"I was a couple of meters [behind] so I thought I was going to lose it. I didn't want to be a former world champion so I had a great and strong mentality in my head and in my heart. I said I want to take the victory."
What unfolded was the most thrilling - and closest - finish of the championships, Kipruto reeling in Lamecha Girma with every stride and the pair crossing it virtually in unison. Then there was a pause, the most painful 28 seconds of his life, as he waited for the verdict.
"I was praying: let it be me," Kipruto recalled. "Let the first name be Conseslus."
A huge cheer erupted when the screen delivered the news. Kipruto: 8:01.35. Girma: 8:01.36.
In his all-conquering career, there had been wins of sheer dominance: his Olympic title in 2016, his first world title in 2017.
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