Superb Cheptegei seals legacy

By sizing up and then beating a really intent 25-man field to seal the men’s 10000-metre gold Olympic medal  on the light purple track under beaming lights, Cheptegei produced a tactical master class to seal Uganda’s ultimate moment at the Paris 2024 Games.

“I am so excited. It took a lot of courage,” said Cheptegei after a frantic race won in a time of 26 minutes and 43.14 seconds to fully complete a cycle of glory in track long-distance running.

Upon picking himself up from the track floor after crossing the finish-line in an Olympic Record (OR), Cheptegei met his coach and friend Benjamin Njia and manager Timothy Masaba, who hugged him before handing him the national flag.

He then wheeled off around the stadium for a lap of honour, hugging his Dutch manager Jurrie van der Velden and embraced Vinnie Los from Global Sports Communication. The other Ugandans; Jacob Kiplimo, who finished eighth in 26:46.39, and Martin Kiprotich who came 22nd in a personal best of 28:20.72, did not join in the party.

In the VIP, sports minister Peter Ogwang, National Council of Sports chairman Ambrose Tashobya and general secretary Dr. Patrick Ogwel, government chief whip Hon. Hamson Obua were waving the national flag.

The mood lights in the stadium had turned black, yellow and red. A small group of Ugandans, mainly Team Uganda officials and athletes were celebrating after the nerves had let loose. Scenic moments!

Cheptegei may have won so many medals over the past decade but in holding off a familiar but strongest Ethiopian challenge over the 25-lap final after the sun set on Paris, he had found as much redemption as satisfaction.

The reigning three-time world 10000m champion Cheptegei had won nearly everything on offer since 2014, including the 5000m Olympic gold at the last Olympics in Japan. But, this fine piece of silverware over his favourite race had never landed in his cabinet.

“I can’t describe the feeling,” said Cheptegei. “I’ve wanted this for a long time. When I took silver in Tokyo, I was disappointed. I wanted just to win the 10,000m. 

“It’s the dream of young people to achieve what they want to achieve in life. Barely 16 years ago when I was watching the great Kenenisa Bekele win in Beijing, it was something that grew in my heart. I said, one day, one time, I want to be Olympic champion.”

Three years ago, Cheptegei left the empty Tokyo stadium feeling dejected after Ethiopian Selemon Barega had thrived best. Then, Cheptegei was actually only instigated to start off celebrations by bronze medallist Kiplimo.

Even when he returned days later to pocket the 5000m gold in the Japanese capital, Cheptegei was still not settled. The humid conditions in Tokyo had earlier interrupted his pursuit of glory.

Since then, Cheptegei has had to come and answer very difficult questions, before winning the world 10000m titles at the last two World Athletics Championships in Oregon, USA and Budapest, Hungary. Some global commentators downplayed him even more on Friday. Why?

The 27-year-old arrived in Paris on the back of no race victory across four attempts in the whole of 2024. His last race, at the Bislett Games in Oslo, Norway on May 30, had had him finish a distant ninth.

Cheptegei went undercover and put in the work and by the time he ran onto the track in Paris two months after Oslo, he was ready to bury the Tokyo curse and his doubters with a perfect run.

“It was a night with such a wonderful atmosphere in the stadium. He nailed it perfect,” remarked his coach Addy Ruiter. 

“I knew that the Olympics was going to be really fast and I had to go prepare for it,” said Cheptegei after he had further etched his name in record books as the only Ugandan to ever win three Olympic medals. 

Pundits had already skewed the Paris podium conversation between the Ugandans including Cheptegei and Kiplimo up against Ethiopians Barega, Yomif Kejelca and Berihu Aregawi.

The latter trio had beaten Cheptegei in every meeting this year across Laredo, Spain, Belgrade, Serbia, Los Angeles in the USA and even Oslo.

Barega and Kejelcha began to control things at the front early with American Grant Fisher at the front while Frenchman Jimmy Gressier was being rallied on by the electric atmosphere.

Kiprotich joined the party ahead after three laps and 400m later, all Ethiopians were ahead and crossed the 2000m in 5:22.7, well within Bekele’s OR mark of 27:01.17 from the Beijing 2008 Games in China.

At that stage, two-time world cross-country champion Kiplimo moved to sixth place and kept tabs but Cheptegei was still further behind. At six laps complete, three Kenyans in the race Benard Kibet, Daniel Mateiko and Nicholas Kipkorir were in the top 10 but Cheptegei was not interested.

The lead at the front continued to switch from Barega to Kejelcha at 3800m with Aregawi, Fisher, Kiplimo and Gressier all tucked in and Cheptegei began to move from the back. 

An injection of pace from Kejelcha brought Kibet closing in as Barega dropped then Aregawi took over the lead. By halfway stage, Cheptegei was four seconds adrift of the lead as Aregawi crossed in 13:23.2.

And shortly after, a 13-man group broke away with Barega back in the lead and Cheptegei at the back of it. The Ethiopians with Canadian Mohammed Ahmed behind kept looking behind but hadn’t seen Cheptegei but a slow kilometer had him quietly catch up.

“Uganda normally has a yellow bib and but this time, it was dark and if he were 30-40 metres back, they couldn’t see him well,” stated Jurrie.

Cheptegei moved up to third with the 8000m mark approaching and was on the left of Kejelcha and Ahmed before Aregawi came out to lead again. 

With three laps to go, the gears were engaged and at 500m to go, Cheptegei hit the front. The noise inside the stadium was so deafening that bell could be barely had. 

Positions kept changing behind Cheptegei but he held on to lower the OR mark by 18 seconds thanks to fine weather conditions while Kiplimo dropped from third to finish eighth.

“The last 3000m, I knew that I wanted to be almost at the front because that’s where the victory was and if you are not there, it’s a different story.

All the top 13 men posted under previous Bekele’s OR mark with Aregawi taking silver in 26:43.44 while Fisher got a sweet bronze in 26:43.46. “That tells you that today was really special and everybody is really incredible. Respect for each and every one,” added Cheptegei.

PARIS 2024 OLYMPICS - TEAM UGANDA SCHEDULE

SUNDAY, AUG 4 - ATHLETICS: DAY 4

11.50am: Peruth Chemutai (Athletics - Women’s 3000m Steeplechase Heats)

9.35pm: Athletics - Women’s 800m Semi-Final Heats

MONDAY, AUG 5 - DAY 5

8.04pm: Leonard Chemutai (Men’s 3000m Steeplechase Heats)

8.55pm: Tarsis Orogot (Men’s 200m Heats)

10.15pm: Women’s 5000m Final

10.47pm: Women’s 800m Final

TEAM UGANDA RESULTS

MEN’S 10000M FINAL RESULT

1 Joshua Cheptegei (UGA)              26:43.14

2 Berihu Aregawi (ETH)                    26:43.44

3 Grant Fisher (USA)                         26:43.46

4 Mohammed Ahmed (CAN)             26:43.79

5 Benard Kibet (KEN)                       26:43.98

6 Yomif Kejelcha (ETH)                    26:44.02

7 Selemon Barega (ETH)                    26:44.48

8 Jacob Kiplimo (UGA)                    26:46.39

22 Martin Kiprotich (UGA)             28:20.72

WOMEN’S 800M ROUND 1 HEAT 2

1 Daily Gaspar (CUB)                        1:58.88

2 Prudence Sekgodiso (RSA)             1:59.84

3 Rachel Pellaud (SUI)                       2:00.07

4 Halimah Nakaayi (UGA)               2:00.51

WOMEN’S 5000M ROUND 1 HEAT 1

1 Faith Kipyegon (KEN)                    14:57.56

2 Sifan Hassan (NED)                        14:57.65

3 Nadia Battocletti (ITA)                   14:57.65

12 Belinda Chemutai (UGA)            15:23.90

DNS Joy Cheptoyek (UGA)             DNS

WOMEN’S 5000M ROUND 1 HEAT 2

1 Beatrice Chebet (KEN)                   15:00.73

2 Medina Eisa (ETH)                          15:00.82

3 Rose Davies (AUS)                         15:00.86

13 Esther Chebet (UGA)                  15:10.46

ROWING: WOMEN’S SINGLE SCULLS FINAL E

1 Nihed Benchadli (ALG)                  8:34.67

2 Kathleen Noble (UGA)                  8:38.70

3 Evidelia González (NIC)                 8:43.78

SWIMMING: MEN’S 100M BUTTERFLY HEAT 1

1 Nikola Miljenic (CRO)                    53.32

2 Jesse Ssengonzi (UGA)                  53.76

3 Joe Kurniawan (INC)                      53.95

UGANDAN MEN IN 10000M AT THE OLYMPICS

Paris 2024: Joshua Cheptegei (1st, 26:43.14), Jacob Kiplimo (8th, 26:46.39), Martin Kiprotich (28:20.72)

Tokyo 2020: Joshua Cheptegei (2nd, 27:43.63), Jacob Kiplimo (3rd, 27:43.88), Stephen Kissa (DNF)

Rio 2016: Joshua Cheptegei (6th, 27:10.06), Moses Kurong (22nd, 28:03.38), Timothy Toroitich (23rd, 28:04.84)

London 2012: Moses Kipsiro (10th, 27:39.22), Thomas Ayeko (16th, 27:58.96)

Beijing 2008: Boniface Kiprop (10th, 27:27.28)

Athens 2004: Boniface Kiprop (4th, 27:25.48), Wilson Busienei (11th, 28:10.75)

CHEPTEGEI AT A GLANCE

Date of birth: September 12, 1996

Major Races: 5000m, 10000m

Personal Bests: 5000m (12:35.36), 10000m (26:11.00), 21km (59:21)

Coach: Addy Ruiter

Manager: Jurrie van der Velden

Kit Sponsor: Nike

CHEPTEGEI IN 2024

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 AT MAJOR CHAMPIONSHIPS

2014 World Junior Champs: 4th, 5000m (13:32.84)

2014 World Junior Champs: 1st, 10000m (28:32.86)

2014 African Champs: DNF, 10000m (DNF)

2015 African Junior Champs: 1st, 10000m (29:58.70)

2015 World Champs Beijing: 9th, 10000m (27:48.89)

2016 Olympic Games Rio: 8th, 5000m (13:09.17)

2016 Olympic Games Rio: 6th, 10000m (27:10.06)

2017 World Cross-country: 30th, Senior race (30:08)

2017 World Champs London: 2nd, 10000m (26:49.94)

2018 Commonwealth Games Gold Coast: 1st, 5000m (13:50.83)

2018 Commonwealth Games Gold Coast: 1st, 10000m (27:19.62)

2019 World Cross-country Champs: 1st, 10km (31:40)

2019 World Champs Doha: 1st, 10000m (26:48.36)

2020 World Half-Marathon Champs: 4th (Men’s 21km)

2020 Tokyo Olympics: 2nd, 10000m (27:43.63)

2020 Tokyo Olympics: 1st, 5000m (12:58.15)

2022 World Champs Oregon: 1st, 10000m (27:27.43)

2023 World Cross-country Champs: 3rd, 10km (29:37)

2022 World Champs Oregon: 9th, 5000m (13:13.12)

2023 World Champs Budapest: 1st, 10000m (27:51.42)

2024 World Cross-country Champs: 6th, 10km (28:24)

2024 Paris Olympics: 1st, 10000m (26:43.13)

UGANDA’S MEDALS AT OLYMPICS

1968 Mexico City: Eridadi Mukwanga (Bantamweight Silver)

1968 Mexico City: Leo Rwabwogo (Flyweight Bronze)

1972 Munich: John Akii-Bua (400m Hurdles Gold)

1972 Munich: Leo Rwabwogo (Flyweight Silver)

1980 Moscow: John Mugabi (Welterweight Silver)

1996 Atlanta: Davis Kamoga (400m Bronze)

2012 London: Stephen Kiprotich (Marathon Gold)

2020 Tokyo: Joshua Cheptegei (10000m Silver)

2020 Tokyo: Jacob Kiplimo (10000m Bronze)

2020 Tokyo: Peruth Chemutai (3000m Steeplechase Gold)

2020 Tokyo: Joshua Cheptegei (5000m Gold)