Emerging talent silences fears of post Cheptegei-Kiplimo slump

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Ugandan athletics has come out blazing to start 2026, with a historical performance at the World Cross Country Championships in the US, followed by a world-record display in the half-marathon by none other than Jacob Kiplimo.

Those performances have quelled fears of the end of the golden era resulting from the departure of Kiplimo and Joshua Cheptegei from the track more than a year ago – fears that were heightened by Uganda’s medal-less showing at the 2025 World Athletics Championships.  

As another term in charge of Athletics Uganda for Dominic Otucet and Beatrice Ayikoru gets off the blocks, there is a strong feeling that the alarm bells about a coming medal drought sounded too soon.

That, anyway, is the view of Otucet, who says athletics talent is abundant in the pipeline, even if it may not go on to scale the heady heights of the Big Two (Cheptegei and Kiplimo).

Otucet explained, "The two have been so, so special for us, and they are still special because they are still running in road races. But before we got to know Joshua Cheptegei, it was Stephen Kiprotich... Joshua then comes in, and then Jacob Kiplimo. But I want Ugandans to know there are young men and women who are so, so promising.

“We have a talent in a young man called Kibet Herbert, who is being groomed by Kipsiro. He's a very promising young man whom we look forward to. There is Kiprop Keneth together with Kibet Dan.

Kenneth and Dan, when you combine them, they have always been excelling—one in 10,000m, the other in 5,000m. And we have even now another younger person also coming up called Cherotich Abraham. He's also coming up strongly. And I believe when this boy Yeko Dismas also settles, he's a person that can, that can also excel.”

Dan Kibet and Keneth Kiprop, as well as Dolphine Chelimo, whom Otucet also highlighted, were part of the team that won bronze for Uganda in the senior category at the World Cross Country Championships in Florida. Cherotich was part of the U20 team that claimed silver for Uganda at the same event.

Otucet similarly names the female talents who starred at that event among the brightest prospects.

“We have a girl called Cherrop Charity. She even beats many seniors now in 5,000, and yet she is still 18. Together with the Yeko Bentalin. Those girls have been consistent. You saw them in Abeokuta last year, winning gold medals on that side. I know that Yeko Bentaline is better in 3000, but Charity is the best in 5000.

“We also have Kepkuru Nancy, who is, by the way, an athlete representative in the executive. Her best event is 3000 meters. I believe she could be in the future a perfect replacement for Peruth Chemutai because she's still young. She actually went for the shorter event, 1500 meters, and won gold in the Africa Under-20 last year.”

Otucet is a man of faith, and he will quickly give glory to God for the successes Ugandan athletics has enjoyed on his watch. That positive disposition also means his confidence in the upcoming talent is always going to overflow.

Still, talent is one thing. Greatness is another, and the bridge between the two is extremely hard to cross.

Otucet appreciates Kiprotich, Cheptegei, and Kiplimo on one hand, and Chemutai and Halima Nakaayi on the other, because they have shown the younger generations the “example”.

Time will tell how much will follow it.