He finished 3rd at the 1989 IAAF World Cup 800 metres race. In 1989 he had won the African Championships and in 1990 he came second in the Commonwealth Games. During the summer of 1992 Kiprotich won several Grand Prix meetings where he defeated William Tanui to whom he lost in the Olympic final. Kiprotich was ranked No.1 in the world over 800m in 1993.