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Cheptegei, Kiplimo thrilled to compete in New York
Kiplimo (C) and Cheptegei (R) are heading to New York to chase more glitter. PHOTO/COURTSEY
What you need to know:
Kiplimo currently holds the World Half-Marathon title which he won with a championship record in Gdynia, Poland in 2020. The 22-year-old also set a new world record over the 21km distance while winning the Lisbon Half-Marathon in 2021.
Jacob Kiplimo and Joshua Cheptegei began the year with gold and bronze medals from the senior men’s 10km race during the World Cross-country Championships in Bathurst, Australia a week ago.
The Ugandan long-distance running pair too contributed to the senior men’s team bronze medal at the event but their priorities for the year are much bigger.
Both will aim to secure podium finishes when the Budapest World Athletics Championships come in Hungary later in August. For Cheptegei, he hopes to retain his 10000m title for a second time while Kiplimo will search for more as he plans to do a double on track.
To fit their plans, both runners announced on Wednesday evening that they will compete at the New York Half-Marathon in the USA on March 19.
"From the Down Under to the Big Apple,” Kiplimo posted via his Facebook page. “I’m very excited that my USA road racing debut will be the United Airlines NYC Half next month, and I will try hard to become the first champion from Uganda,” he said.
Kiplimo currently holds the World Half-Marathon title which he won with a championship record in Gdynia, Poland in 2020. The 22-year-old also set a new world record over the 21km distance while winning the Lisbon Half-Marathon in 2021.
“My medal from the World Cross Country Championships last weekend shows that everybody will need to be at their best in order to beat me,” he added.
Cheptegei meanwhile will only be racing over his second career 21km event next month. “I’m very excited for my first race in New York City,” he said in a brief statement.
“One of the primary goals for 2023 is to defend my 10,000m gold medal at the World Championships, and this half-marathon is an important part of those preparations. The race seems like a great tour of New York City!”
“It’s always good when there is an opportunity to compete in the USA,” his coach Addy Ruiter said.
Cheptegei’s only half-marathon race scripted was the global championship in Gdynia. He came fourth but secured a team gold medal.
The 5000m and 10000m WR holder Cheptegei could have competed at the Great North Run in Newcastle last September due to a knee problem carried from the Oregon World Championships in the USA.
After securing a Commonwealth double, Kiplimo returned to England and obliterated that field in Newcastle.
NEW YORK CITY HALF MARATHON
Date: March 19, 2023
Location: New York City
Distance: 13.1 miles (21km)
Ugandans Entered: Jacob Kiplimo, Joshua Cheptegei
Established: 2006
Course records: 59:24 (men), 1:07:35 (women), 1:12:20 (non-binary)
KIPLIMO’S 21KM CAREER
Sept 11, 2022: Great North Run (1st, 59:33)
Feb 19, 2022: Ras Al Khaimah Half Marathon (1st, 57:56)
Nov 21, 2021: Lisbon Half-Marathon (1st, 57:31)
Dec 6, 2020: Valencia Half-Marathon (2nd, 57:37)
Oct 17, 2020: World Half-Marathon (1st, 58:49)
Nov 24, 2019: Kampala Half Marathon (1st, 61:53)
CHEPTEGEI’S 21KM CAREER
Oct 17, 2020: World Half-Marathon (4th, 59:21)
