AFP Copyright: AFP

Kenyan runner Conseslus Kipruto lost one of his shoes just after the first lap of his 3000m steeplechase Diamond League race on Thursday night but still went on to win.

The Olympic and World Champion beat Morocco’s Soufiane El Bakkali in a sprint finish.

Video shows Kipruto's left shoe went flying off as he entered the home straight - see here 32 seconds in:

TV pictures after the race show the Kenyan limping as he waved to the crowd in Zurich, Switzerland.

Reuters Copyright: Reuters

"I have big pain. I am injured because I lost my left shoe. That was a mess, but it motivated me to fight as hard as I could, so the race went well,” the Standard newspaper quotes Kipruto as saying after the race.

Other top African performances at the Diamond League finals included victories for South Africa's Cater Semenya in the 800m, Ivory Coast's Murielle Ahoure in the 100m and Kenya's Helen Obiri in the 5000m.

All winners received a $50,000 (£38,000) prize.