_____________________

 2023 WORLD ATHLETICS CHAMPIONSHIPS 

Team Uganda has been dealt a huge blow with the withdrawal of long-distance running star Jacob Kiplimo from the 2023 World Athletics Championships-bound squad.

After two weeks of scans and hopeful injury treatment in Kapchorwa and Kampala, Uganda Athletics Federation has announced that the 22-year-old will sit this one out.

He will not be fit enough to take part in the Budapest showpiece, which gets under way next Saturday (August) in the Hungarian capital.

The national athletics team coach, Benjamin Njia, said the reigning world cross country champion picked up an injury a fortnight ago.  

“It was during our national training in Kween district,” said Njia, who doubles as the Uganda Athletics Federation (UAF) vice-president in charge of technical.

“UAF, together with his management of Rosa Associati International, did their best to give Kiplimo a chance to make it to Budapest, but we have reached a point of futility.” 

The half marathon world champion and record holder suffered from Achilles and tendon injuries.  

▪️ Gold for Cheptegei, bronze for Kiplimo in Oregon

Kiplimo had hoped to once again race alongside his equally illustrious compatriot Joshua Cheptegei

'It is sad, but...'

Kiplimo's absence is a massive blow to Team Uganda. He had been lined up alongside world and Olympic champion Joshua Kiprui Cheptegei to compete in the 5,000m and 10,000m races.

Only last year, he won double gold at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, UK in the absence of compatriot Cheptegei.

▪️ Kiplimo wins 10,000m race at Commonwealth

Kiplimo won both the 5,000m and 10,000m races at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham

In the wake of the news, Abdallah Muhammed, the UAF publicity secretary, insists that the unfortunate development is not going to affect Uganda’s expectations in the championship.  

“It is sad to have a medal hopeful out of the team, but we have been in such situations before,” he said.

“At the 2019 World Championships in Doha, Qatar, we had a similar situation where Jacob [Kiplimo] failed to make it due to injury.  

“Halimah Nakaayi [who won 800m gold) and Joshua Cheptegei (10,000m winner) filled in the gap."

Muhammed rallied Ugandans to stand behind the team, saying that despite this major setback, “we should have faith the others will do the job". 

To fill in Kiplimo’s position, Uganda will rely on his stepbrother, Oscar Chelimo (who took 5,000m bronze at the last championships in Oregon), and Cheptegei.  

While in 10,000m, keenly watched youngster Rogers Kibet and talented Joel Ayeko will have to step on to the plate when they line up alongside Cheptegei, the team captain.

Kiplimo becomes the second top Ugandan athlete to pull out of the championships after the middle-distance specialist Janat Chemusto.

Chemusto, 25, picked up an injury and was also suspended over doping allegations, which are being investigated by World Athletics.  

The 2023 World Athletics Championships will run from August 19 until August 27 in Budapest, with the world's best athletes yet again set to compete for global honours.