Nairobi, June 18 : Olympic 3,000m steeplechase champion Conseslus Kipruto has returned to training to prepare for the Diamond League and Continental Tour series, which are due to start in August. Kipruto, who battled a foot fracture last season before he won the gold medal at the World Championships in Doha, by one-hundredth of a second, said Wednesday he has shifted gears into full throttle training to shake off the rust of a long layoff caused by COVID-19, reports Xinhua news agency. "Yes, I have returned to training. It is important to respect my timetable and be disciplined at the same time because the competition is coming soon," Kipruto said from his training base in Eldoret. Kipruto lost almost three months of training due to injury and only returned to action in August, a month before the World Championships. But he has had enough rest since the season ended in October and will be a force to be reckoned with this season. He has since urged fellow athletes to respect their training plans to avoid picking up unnecessary injuries, which may derail their season plans. "Let them respect their training timetable. Hard work is the only answer," he added. Kipruto has had to improvise to stay fit during lockdown using seat cushions and a home pool as his hurdle and water point during his training. "My dream this year was to defend my gold medal at the Olympic Games. But that too has been postponed. However, I still need to be focused and train because the track competition is resuming in August. I always stay fit at home. No barriers, no problem," said Kipruto. The two-time World 3,000 meters steeplechase champion has urged athletes to be wary of their safety and health condition even in lockdown. /IANS