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Chemutai pushes for historic Olympic gold
Chemutai (foreground) qualified fastest. PHOTOS/REUTERS
What you need to know:
Last year, Chemutai battled illness in critical stages of the season and was actually Uganda’s last qualifier to the Budapest Worlds in Hungary. She could barely challenge for the honours when it mattered most.
PARIS, FRANCE. There is something special about 2024 for Peruth Chemutai. It’s a totally different year in her elite running career which stretches back to 11 years ago.
When she won the 3000m steeplechase gold medal during the Tokyo 2020 Olympics in Japan three years ago, the victory took her by surprise.
It was right to even say then, that she didn’t know the magnitude of her achievement. Chemutai had become Uganda’s first-ever female Olympic medalist and champion.
“She wasn’t expected to do that well,” one member of her camp affirmed the perceptions shortly upon return from Tokyo. Chemutai had struggled to adapt the new regime at the training centre by Global Sports Communication (GSC) in Kapchorwa.
Then bang, a surprise gold! “Tokyo, I won the race but I was not in good shape,” Chemutai said in the mixed zone on Monday at the Paris Olympics here in the French capital.
She powered to Olympic glory in then a national record (NR) time of nine minutes and 1.45 seconds. Since then, Chemutai became a shadow of her prowess.
A bacterial infection during the Oregon 2022 World Athletics Championships on the west coast in the USA rendered her powerless.
Weeks later, she got unlucky and stepped poorly over the barrier while pursuing Kenyan Jackline Chepkoech with under three laps to go inside the Alexander Stadium and ended up with bronze instead of silver during the Birmingham Commonwealth Games in England.
Last year, Chemutai battled illness in critical stages of the season and was actually Uganda’s last qualifier to the Budapest Worlds in Hungary. She could barely challenge for the honours when it mattered most.
However, Chemutai has had a massive turnaround and on Tuesday, she will gear for a successful title defence of her Olympic title over the water-jump race when she lines up against 14 other ladies in the final at the Stade de France.
“This one, totally, I am in good shape. I am looking forward to defending my title,” she remarked after winning Monday’s Heat 1 in a time of 9:10.51.
“She is in a very good shape and from what I see, it is possible for her to win a medal or even defend her title,” her coach Addy Ruiter said, in an extended chat.
On Monday, Chemutai was the fastest across all three Heats. She has had a solid 2024 which began late March with a silver medal behind Kenyan Beatrice Chepkoech during the African Games in Accra, Ghana.
Weeks later, Chemutai still made the podium on the opening legs of the Wanda Diamond League (DL) in China, still Beatrice winning.
But, Chemutai showed signs that she is intent to retain her Olympic crown when she won the Eugene leg of the DL in Oregon on May 25 by beating Beatrice and winning in a world lead time and new NR mark of 8:55.09.
At 33, Beatrice is current world record (WR) holder at a time of 8:44.32 set in 2018. She advanced by winning Heat 3 in 9:13.56 and fiery battle for the gold medal is anticipated between her and Chemutai.
Chemutai (L) peels away.
Ironically, the women’s 3000m steeplechase event began at the Beijing 2008 Olympics in China and no Kenyan has won it before.
Beatrice will attempt to change that, considering Chemutai has only beaten her just twice - Tokyo in 2021 and Eugene two months ago - across nearly 20 races.
The field also has promising Kenyan Faith Cherotich, Kazakhstan’s Norah Jeruto and reigning world champion Winfred Yavi Mutile of Bahrain but Chemutai spoke with beaming confidence.
“I don’t care. I cannot fear anyone. I am looking forward to running my race. I don’t want to run with pressure,” she said.
Chemutai is staring at a unique slice of history. No individual in history has retained an Olympic title from Uganda beginning with John Akii-Bua to Stephen Kiprotich to Joshua Cheptegei.
Cheptegei won Uganda’s first medal in Paris on Friday with an Olympic Record (OR) time of 26:43.14 and Chemutai watched it inside the stadium.
“I was so happy because together with Joshua, it was an amazing day for me. I was so happy about him because we are together with him in training, one management, I was so happy. He called me and told me ‘don’t run with pressure, everything is possible’,” she added.
Should all conditions go perfect, Chemutai could lower the OR mark of 8:58.81 set by Russia’s Gulnara Galkina set in Beijing but also, the WR may not be a far-fetched dream for her on the light purple track. Uganda will be watching, and will be the world.
PARIS 2024 OLYMPICS - TEAM UGANDA SCHEDULE
TUESDAY, AUG 6 - DAY 14
11.05am: Winnie Nanyondo (Women’s 1500m Heats)
1.30pm: Men’s 200m Repechage Round
10.14pm: Peruth Chemutai (Women’s 3000m Steeplechase Final)
WEDNESDAY, AUG 7 - DAY 15
12:10pm: Jacob Kiplimo, Oscar Chelimo (Athletics - Men’s 5000m Heats)
12:55pm: Tom Dradriga (Athletics - Men’s 800m Heats)
1.45pm: Women’s 1500m Repechage Round
9.02pm: Men’s 200m Semi-Final
10.43pm: Men’s 3000m Steeplechase Final
THURSDAY, AUG 8 - DAY 16
1pm: Men’s 800m Repechage
8.35pm: Women’s 1500m Semi-finals
9.30pm: Men’s 200m Final
CHEMUTAI AT A GLANCE
Date of Birth: Jul 10, 1999
Age: 25
Olympics Appearance: 3rd (Rio 2016, Tokyo 2020, Paris 2024)
Discipline: Athletics
Event: Women’s 3000m steeplechase
Personal Best: 8:55.09
CHEMUTAI IN FINALS AT CHAMPIONSHIPS
2019 Doha Worlds: 5th, 9:11.08
2018 Tampere Worlds Juniors: 2nd, 9:18.87
2016 Bydgoszcz World Juniors: 7th, 9:49.29
2020 Tokyo Olympics: 1st, 9:01.45
2022 Oregon Worlds: 11th, 9:21.93
2022 Commonwealth Games: 3rd, 9:23.24
2023 Budapest Worlds: 7th, 9:10.26
2024 African Games: 2nd, 9:16.07
CAST OF OLYMPIC STEEPLECHASE CHAMPIONS
Tokyo 2020: Peruth Chemutai (UGA) 9:01.45
Rio 2016: Ruth Jebet (BAH) 8:59.75
London 2012: Habiba Ghribi (TUN) 9:08.37
Beijing 2008: Gulnara Samitova-Galkina (RUS) 8:58.81
