Uganda most decorated runner Joshua Cheptegei has today scooped a Gold medal in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics after outsprinting Canadia Mohammed Ahmed and American athlete Paul Chelimo. Chepetegi finished first in 12:58:15
Jacob Kiplimo comfortably spent most of the laps leading the race with Joshua Cheptegei covering him in the first five positions. The two runners however stayed in the lead pack until Cheptegei outsprinted the group to scoop Gold, the second for Uganda in the Tokyo games.
The first Gold medal was won two days ago by Peruth Chemutai who won the 3000, women’s steeplechase competition. Previously, Cheptegei and Kiplimo won silver and bronze respectively in the 10,000m finals.
Cheptegei 24, entered the race as one of the favourites holding the world record in the race which stands at 12:35.36, posted at the Wanda Diamond League in Monaco in August 2020. The long-distance runner finished eighth in the 2016 edition where he crossed the finishing line in 13:09.17 behind elite long-distance runner Mo Farah who won Gold in 13 minutes and 03.30 seconds.
Kiplimo also entered the race with a pedigree of running the thirteenth-best time in the race which stands at 12:48:63, posted when he scooped the race at Golden Spike meet in Ostrava last year. This was his second appearance in the summer games, while Oscar Chelimo is there for the first time.
-URN
