Uganda's Joshua Cheptegei Wins Gold At The Gold Cost 2018 Commonwealth Games In Australia

Joshua Cheptegei Celebrates After Winning the 5000m gold at the 2018 Commonwealth Games

Uganda’s Marathon Runner, Joshua Cheptegei has won the 5000m gold at the 2018 Commonwealth Games.

After a slow start, 21-year-old Cheptegei took charge of the race in the last 5 of 12.5 laps, finishing powerfully in 13:50.83 for his first gold at senior level. It is also Uganda’s first gold at the Gold Coast Games.

                      

Canada’s Mohammed Ahmed challenged Cheptegei in the final lap but could only hold on for silver, in 13:52.78. Kenyan teenager Edward Zakayo got bronze in 13:54.06 with Uganda’s Thomas Ayeko coming fourth in 13:54.78. Phillip Kipyeko finished 6^th

Cheptegei has been in formidable form since winning 10,000m silver at the World Championships last year.  In the past 6 months, he has run the  world’s second fastest 15k race ever at the Seven Hills Race Zevenheuvelenloop in Nijmegen, The Netherlands in November and dominated all the cross-country races he participated in this year.

Preparing for the games, Cheptegei, on Wednesday, April 4, told journalists that he was giving his 100 percent to ensure he wins the country a gold medal in the 5,000m race.

The 2017 World Athletics Championship 10,000m silver medalist was hoping to cement his record in the ranks of Uganda's medalists; the 2012 London Olympic marathon gold medalist Stephen Kiprotich and Moses Kipsiro who won gold at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Scotland.

Cheptegei started the 2018 season in style by winning the 2018 Cross Internacional de Italica in January. He finished seventh in the 1,500m race at the Athletix Grand Prix 1 in Johannesburg, South Africa.

"I have been responding well in training and I am now looking forward to prove a point in Australia. I have opted to run only in the 5,000m and leave out the 10,000m because it would tire me yet I have another race early next month," said Cheptegei.

Besides Cheptegei, Uganda also looked forward to winning Commonwealth Games medals from Solomon Munyo Mutai who won a marathon silver medal at the 2015 World Championships in China, in-form U-20 World Cross Country champion Jacob Kiplimo and the five boxers.

The event which started on the April 4, 2018 is scheduled to run until April 15, 2018.

At the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Scotland, Uganda won only one gold medal through Moses Kipsiro (10,000m), two other bronze medals in athletics and two bronze in boxing through Mike Sekabembe (Super heavyweight ) and Fazil Juma Kaggwa (light flyweight). Enditem

Source: THE INDEPENDENT, XINHUA