Who is Golden girl Chesang?

Uganda's Stella Chesang celebrates as she crosses the finish line in the athletics women's 10 000m final during the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games at the Carrara Stadium on the Gold Coast on April 9, 2018. AFP PHOTO

Stella Chesang
Age 21
Club Police
Honours:
2018- 5th Africa
Cross-country
2018- Second national cross-country
2015- World Mountain
Running champion
2014- 4th World Junior
Championships
2013- World Mountain Running junior champion

Expectations: "My goal is a top ten finish. My prayer is that God guides me to this dream."

Few people would have placed their money on Stella Chesang winning a medal at the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games.

The Police Athletics Club runner only made the team on the very last qualification day. And even then, she only made the team as the third choice entrant in the women's 10,000 meters.

Mercyline Chelangat, who got bronze yesterday, had been Uganda's star in the Gold Coast build-up, but winning all the local races 10,000m and cross-country events.

Then it was also only Chesang first 10,000m race in a major competition.

So when she made that decisive break with 500 meters left to the finish yesterday, few people thought she could maintain the lead.

But this soft spoken athlete from Kween district in the Elgon Mountains had other ideas. Well aware that she was good for gold, she sprinted to the finish with the gap between her and race favourite Kenya's Stacy Ndiwa ever increasing.

Big feat
It was Uganda's second gold medal ever at the games by a female athlete. The first gold was by Dorcus Inzikuru in 2006 in Melbourne.

But what made yesterday's race stand out even more was the fact that it was the first time two Ugandan women were on the podium at a major event.

That, according to Uganda Athletics Federation, is a bold statement that female sport is growing.

Uganda's Stella Chesang crosses the finish line in front of Kenya's Stacy Ndiwa in the athletics women's 10,000m final

The three Ugandans led by Chesang ran a very tactical race keeping the two Kenyan runners within touching distance until that moment when the eventual champion pounced.

"After decisively beating heavyweights Kenya in one of their favourite events, the sports can only grow bigger," stated UAF secretary Beatrice Ayikoru.

But while many try to unravel the mystery that has thrust Chesang into the limelight, Police coach Faustino Kiwa says surprise is part of his athlete's character.

"She is too quiet. In most cases as other talk, she does the listening and smiling. It is hard to know what is going on in her mind," explained Kiwa.

Kiwa notes that you only get a word from Chesang when you direct a question at her.

"Otherwise she expresses herself best on track," said Kiwa who has known Chesang since 2012. Reflecting on yesterday's final, Kiwa says
Uganda could have easily blown Kenya off the podium.

 Referring to the Ugandan front pack trio of Chesang, Chelangat and Juliet Chekwel, Kiwa noted ‘they seemed not to be communicating otherwise Chesang and Chelangat could have easily broken away together."

Those who have been closely following Chesang say her biggest advantage was that she picked form late.

"While her team-mates were losing form, she was gaining," said Kiwa.

These technicalities aside, it was all celebration at the Police headquarters in Naguru.

Police on toes
Work came to a standstill as officers gathered to cheer their own on television. At the end of the race, Kiwa was a relieved man. "I feel sweet. I am now relaxed. I was so tensed up during the race. But now that she has won I am very relaxed."

This excitement should come with a promotion in reward for the heroic feat.

Chesang has been serving the force as a Special Police Constable.

Ugandan Police can draw a lesson from Uganda Prisons which elevated Stephen Kiprotich several ranks up after he won Olympic gold.

But while the name Chesang might sound new to many, it is not the first time she hits international headlines.

She has thrice won the World Mountain Running title.

Last month, she narrowly missed out on a medal at the Africa Cross-country Championship. She finished fourth.