Uganda's distance running supremacy crumbles in Glasgow

For nearly two decades, Uganda has been synonymous with dominance in long-distance running at the Commonwealth Games.

From Boniface Kiprop to Moses Kipsiro, Joshua Cheptegei, and Jacob Kiplimo, the men's 10,000m gold medal had almost become Uganda's property.

But the 2026 Commonwealth Games have sent a clear warning that the country's supremacy can no longer be taken for granted.

Uganda failed to win a medal in both the men's and women's 10,000m events, while Rwanda celebrated a historic breakthrough after Florence Niyonkuru claimed bronze in the women's race, the country's first-ever Commonwealth Games athletics medal.

Niyonkuru's podium finish ended years of domination by Uganda and Kenya in the women's event and demonstrated how emerging nations are beginning to challenge the traditional distance-running powerhouses.

Uganda fielded Esther Chebet, Joy Cheptoyek, and Rebecca Chelangat in the women's race. Chebet came agonizingly close to the podium, finishing fourth, just fractions of a second behind Niyonkuru, while Cheptoyek crossed the line much later.

For Rwanda, a country whose sporting investments have largely focused on football, volleyball, basketball, and cycling, winning an athletics medal appeared unlikely. Yet that achievement shows what targeted investment and long-term planning can accomplish.

The bronze medal is expected to encourage Rwanda to channel even greater resources into athletics, potentially creating another serious rival in East Africa.

Uganda's golden era began 20 years ago with Boniface Kiprop in 2006 before Moses Kipsiro defended Uganda's dominance with victories in 2010 and 2014. Joshua Cheptegei extended the streak in 2018 before Jacob Kiplimo kept the title in Ugandan hands in 2022.

This year, however, that remarkable run came to an abrupt end.

Uganda's representatives Dan Kibet, Oscar Chelimo, and Samuel Simba Cherop struggled against a highly competitive field. Cherop was Uganda's best finisher in seventh place, while Kibet finished 11th and Chelimo crossed the line in 12th.

Australia's Ky Robinson won gold ahead of India's Gulveer Singh, with David Mullarkey taking bronze. The podium illustrated a changing landscape in long-distance running. Events once dominated almost exclusively by Uganda and Kenya are now attracting serious challengers from outside Africa.

Athletics coaches believe the warning signs have been visible for some time. Coach Moses Asonya argues that Uganda has relied too heavily on individual brilliance instead of building a sustainable development system.

"Most of the athletes train themselves. They have no structured running programs. We need to allocate qualified coaches to these athletes, and coaches themselves need motivation. Clubs alone cannot manage athletes because the most they can provide is transport and small allowances," Asonya said.

He believes government investment is now essential if Uganda is to remain competitive.

"If not handled with care, Uganda will soon be referred to as former champions of marathon and long-distance running," he warned.

Coach Benjamin Njia agrees that Uganda is entering a period of transition but insists that talent alone will no longer guarantee international success.

"We also need to embrace sports science. Apart from running, nutrition is extremely important for every successful athlete. The world has evolved and we must evolve with it," Njia said.

Njia believes countries outside Africa have carefully studied the training methods that once gave East African runners a competitive edge and have combined them with advanced scientific support systems.

Asonya also believes Uganda made the mistake of placing too much focus on established stars such as Cheptegei and Kiplimo without adequately preparing the next generation.

"All the attention was on Cheptegei and Kiplimo, forgetting that a time would come when they would move to other events or eventually retire. We need to go back to the drawing board and build another strong team. We have talented athletes, but we delayed planning for succession," he said.

He added that the same succession planning should also extend to women's distance running, urging administrators to begin identifying and preparing athletes capable of eventually replacing Olympic champion Peruth Chemutai on the international stage.