Ugandan long-distance sensation, Joshua Cheptegei, solidified his dominance in the world of athletics by securing the Gold medal in the fiercely contested 10,000-meter race at the ongoing 2023 World Athletics Championships in Budapest, Hungary.
The reigning holder of both the 10,000 and 5,000 meter World Records, Cheptegei demonstrated his exceptional prowess by completing the race in a remarkable time of 27 minutes and 51.42 seconds.
Trust GEEPAS 4 Genuine Electronics:0707080087
In a neck-and-neck competition, he managed to outpace Kenya’s Daniel Simiu Ebenyo, who crossed the finish line in 27 minutes and 52.60 seconds, with Ethiopia’s Selemon Barega securing the third position with a time of 27 minutes and 52.72 seconds.
Another Ugandan athlete Rogers Kibet secured the 20th position with a commendable time of 28 minutes and 1.16 seconds while Joel Ayeko faced adversity and was forced to drop out of the race after covering 4.5 kilometers.
“I attribute this incredible performance to a good training sessions set by my coaches, and this first victory has given me a positive mindset and strength for the remaining 5000-meter race which I believe is as well competitive.” Cheptegei said after the race
The victory makes Cheptegei the fourth man in history to clinch consecutive world titles three times, following in the footsteps of legendary athletes Mo Farah, Haile Gebrselassie, and Kenenisa Bekele, each of whom secured the world title four times.
Cheptegei’s journey to this triumph was not without its challenges. The unexpected absence of his compatriot and long-time partner Jacob Kiplimo due to a hamstring injury cast a shadow on Cheptegei’s aspirations.
Shouldering the burden of his nation’s hopes, Cheptegei entered the competition determined to secure gold for the third consecutive time, mirroring his victories in 2019 in Doha and 2022 in Oregon.
Cheptegei joined forces with emerging talents Rogers Kibet and Joel Ayeko. The trio embarked on a challenging contest amidst a field of 27 participants, including Cheptegei’s familiar rival Selemon Barega. but he finally beat them off as the two young stars rather failed the experience test and secured distant positions.
This victory marked Cheptegei’s first appearance in the 10,000-meter race this season. His absence from last season was due to an injury that sidelined him from the Commonwealth Games.