Sports
Cheptoek bags Uganda's third bronze medal at Youth Olympic Games
Timothy Cheptoek defied the odds to win Uganda's third bronze medal in the final athletics event at this year's Youth Olympic Games in Dakar, Senegal.
Cheptoek after finishing third in the race. (Photo by Julius Kafuluma)
By: Julius Kafuluma, Journalist @New Vision
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Men's 800m final
1. Abebe Yomif (ETH) 1:48.99 PB
2. Montary Ghebreab (ERI) 1:49.31 PB
3. Timothy Cheptoek (UGA) 1:51.59 PB
Women's 1,500m final
1. Amare Elsabet (ETH) 4:28.02
2. Chepkirui Abigael (KEN) 4:29.86
3. Estifanos Kanari (ERI) 4:31.10
4. Baskaline Cherotwo (UGA) 4:33.75
Timothy Cheptoek defied the odds to win Uganda's third bronze medal in the final athletics event at this year's Youth Olympic Games in Dakar, Senegal.
Cheptoek finished third behind Eritrean silver medallist Montary Ghebreab and Ethiopian gold medallist Abebe Yomif in an electrifying 800m final, in which all three medal winners recorded personal bests.
He clocked 1:51.59, improving by four seconds on his semi-final time and setting a new personal best.
Cheptoek made his intentions clear by maintaining his position among the leading pack despite the high intensity of the race. On the second lap, Kenya's David Sekento and Ethiopia's Abebe Yomif raised the pace even higher, but Cheptoek kept up despite being pushed back to fifth position.
The final lap brought the Iba Mar Diop Stadium to a standstill, with fans cheering as five athletes remained in contention for a medal. Cheptoek capitalised on the apparent complacency of the Kenyan and Chinese athletes occupying third and fourth positions, outsprinting them to the finish line and drawing wild celebrations from the handful of Ugandan fans in the stands.
4. Baskaline Cherotwo (UGA) 4:33.75
Timothy Cheptoek defied the odds to win Uganda's third bronze medal in the final athletics event at this year's Youth Olympic Games in Dakar, Senegal.
Cheptoek finished third behind Eritrean silver medallist Montary Ghebreab and Ethiopian gold medallist Abebe Yomif in an electrifying 800m final, in which all three medal winners recorded personal bests.
Cheptoek with his coach, Ziana Cheptoyek.
He clocked 1:51.59, improving by four seconds on his semi-final time and setting a new personal best.
Cheptoek made his intentions clear by maintaining his position among the leading pack despite the high intensity of the race. On the second lap, Kenya's David Sekento and Ethiopia's Abebe Yomif raised the pace even higher, but Cheptoek kept up despite being pushed back to fifth position.
The final lap brought the Iba Mar Diop Stadium to a standstill, with fans cheering as five athletes remained in contention for a medal. Cheptoek capitalised on the apparent complacency of the Kenyan and Chinese athletes occupying third and fourth positions, outsprinting them to the finish line and drawing wild celebrations from the handful of Ugandan fans in the stands.
Cheptoek's bronze medal was also Uganda's second-ever 800m medal at the Youth Olympic Games, following Geoffrey Balimumiti's silver at the 2014 Nanjing Games.
“I am really thrilled to win a medal for my country; I had promised to win a medal to make my country known to the whole world and am happy I have achieved it. Next time, it will be gold,” Cheptoek vowed.
Uganda's other medal hopeful, Baskaline Cherotwo, finished fifth in the women's 1,500m final. Cherotwo, who entered the race as one of the favourites, clocked 4:33.75, her slowest time in the event.
Last year, Cherotwo clocked 4:26.93 to win silver at the ANOCA Games in Algeria. Earlier this year, she recorded 4:28.26 to claim another silver at the African Youth Games in Angola.
She had, however, entered this year's Youth Olympic Games with a personal best of 4:15.14, which she had set at the IFAM Outdoor Championships in Belgium.
Athletics coach speaks out
Coach Ziana Chaptoyek, who led the five athletes at this year's Games, was pleased with her team's performance despite the harsh conditions in Dakar.
“I am pleased with their performances; they showed the highest level of resilience. To those who didn't win, the sport is not always about winning; actually, losing gives them more lessons and makes them better,” the coach said.
The three bronze medals put Uganda 12th on the continent and 76th overall on the medal table. The games will conclude with a closing ceremony on Friday at the Abdulaye Wade Stadium in Diamniadio.
“I am really thrilled to win a medal for my country; I had promised to win a medal to make my country known to the whole world and am happy I have achieved it. Next time, it will be gold,” Cheptoek vowed.
Uganda's other medal hopeful, Baskaline Cherotwo, finished fifth in the women's 1,500m final. Cherotwo, who entered the race as one of the favourites, clocked 4:33.75, her slowest time in the event.
Last year, Cherotwo clocked 4:26.93 to win silver at the ANOCA Games in Algeria. Earlier this year, she recorded 4:28.26 to claim another silver at the African Youth Games in Angola.
She had, however, entered this year's Youth Olympic Games with a personal best of 4:15.14, which she had set at the IFAM Outdoor Championships in Belgium.
Athletics coach speaks out
Coach Ziana Chaptoyek, who led the five athletes at this year's Games, was pleased with her team's performance despite the harsh conditions in Dakar.
“I am pleased with their performances; they showed the highest level of resilience. To those who didn't win, the sport is not always about winning; actually, losing gives them more lessons and makes them better,” the coach said.
The three bronze medals put Uganda 12th on the continent and 76th overall on the medal table. The games will conclude with a closing ceremony on Friday at the Abdulaye Wade Stadium in Diamniadio.