Cheptegei attempts new 21km PB in Delhi

Joshua Cheptegei is enjoying the new life after dominating track long-distance running for a decade.

The 10000-metre Olympic champion never dropped energy levels on and off the road even after competing and finishing second at the Dam tot Damloop in the Netherlands last month.

That race on September 22 marked his first competitive activity on the road since retiring from track business. “Everything was really, all through well. Everything, kilometre after kilometre, I was really good and then I made a mistake,” Cheptegei recalls how he gave away the victory to Ethiopian Edris Muktar.

Cheptegei however was not disappointed. “This was just an opener for me as I opened a new chapter on the roads,” he said.

The 28-year-old is building for his second competitive full marathon and those preparations now head to India where he competes in the Delhi Half-Marathon on Sunday.

Cheptegei will run his third 21km race in his career after finishing fourth during the 2020 World Athletics Half-Marathon Champions in Gdynia, Poland and then second place at the New York Half-Marathon in the USA last year. His compatriot Jacob Kiplimo won both races.

In Delhi however, Cheptegei is looking to break some barriers. “He is in good shape and he would like to run below 59 minutes,” said his coach Addy Ruiter.

Such a performance would earn Cheptegei a new personal best (PB) mark as his fastest time over the distance is 59:21 from the Big Apple in New York some 19 months ago.

Cheptegei’s biggest foe again will be the two-time world 5000-metre champion Muktar who has a PB mark of 58:40.

The 30-year-old will run in Delhi for a third time in his career having finished fourth in 59:04 in 2020 and then eighth with 1:01:05 two years ago.

Notwithstanding the projected hot conditions which have already forced organisers to move the different events by 30 minutes or an hour earlier, both Cheptegei and Muktar could put on a show that could beat Ethiopian Guye Adola’s course record mark of 59:06 set a decade ago.

The race will also have experienced 2017 world marathon bronze medallist Tanzanian Alphonce Simbu and another Ugandan Emmanuel Kibet, who will act as a pacemaker. 

Meanwhile, Bernard Cheptoch will have similar duties in the women's race headlined by Commonwealth 10000-metre champion Eilish McColgan from Scotland.

CHEPTEGEI AT A GLANCE

Date of birth: September 12, 1996

Major Races: Half-Marathon, Marathon

Personal Bests: 21km (59:21), 42km (2:08:59)

Coach: Addy Ruiter

Manager: Jurrie van der Velden

Kit Sponsor: Nike

CHEPTEGEI IN 2024

Sept 22: Dam tot Damloop (2nd, 45:18)

Aug 2: Paris Olympics 10000m Final (1st, 26:43.14)

May 30: Bislett Games 5000m (9th, 12:51.94)

May 17: LA Grand Prix 5000m (3rd, 12:52.38)

Mar 30: World X-Country (6th, 28:24)

Mar 16: Laredo 10K (2nd, 25:53)

CHEPTEGEI IN 2023

Dec 3: Valencia Marathon (37th, 2:08:59)

Aug 20: Budapest Worlds 10000m Final (1st, 27:51.42)

June 30: Lausanne DL (2nd, 12:41.61)

Jun 2: Florence DL (4th, 12:53.81)

Mar 19: New York Half-Marathon (2nd, 1:02:09)

Feb 18: World X-Country (3rd, 29:37)

CHEPTEGEI IN 2022

Dec 31: NN San Silvestre 10K (1st, 27:09)

Jul 24: Oregon Worlds 5000m Final (9th, 13:13.12)

Jul 21: Oregon Worlds 5000m Heat 1 (4th, 13:24.47)

Jul 17: Oregon Worlds 10000m Final (1st, 27:27.43)

May 27: Prefontaine Classic 5000m (1st, 12:57.99)

Mar 6: Cannes 10K (1st, 26:49)