Cheptegei seals second Commonwealth gold with 10,000m win

Apr 13, 2018

Ugandan Joshua Kiprui Cheptegei bags his second Commonwealth gold in Australia after winning the men's 10,000m final on Friday.

GOLD COAST 2018 COMMONWEALTH GAMES

Men's 10,000m final:

1. Joshua Kiprui Cheptegei (27:19.62) - winner
2. Mohammed Ahmed (27:20.56)
3. Rodgers Kwemoi (27:28.66)

Uganda has mined more gold at the Gold Coast - and the gold digger: Joshua Kiprui Cheptegei!

Cheptegei bagged his second Commonwealth gold in Australia after winning the men's 10,000m final on Friday with the second-fastest time in the event's history.

The Ugandan's winning time of 27:19.62 minutes over the 25-lap race is also a new Games record.

The 21-year-old proved too strong for his closest challenger Canada's Mohammed Ahmed, who had to settle for silver.

Kenya's Rodgers Kwemoi came in third to take bronze in an absorbing, thrilling and rousing finale inside a vibrant Carrara Stadium at the Gold Coast in Australia.

Ugandan Jacob Kiplimo finished fourth with a season's best time of 27:30.25 minutes while countrymate Timothy Toroitich was the seventh to cross the line in 27:47.35.

Cheptegei is in blistering form of his sporting life. Even Ahmed could not outdo the Ugandan


A place in history books

Cheptegei's latest victory comes five days after winning gold in the men's 5000m final, where he again beat Ahmed (silver) and Edward Zakayo (bronze) of Kenya.

This means he is only the second man in Ugandan history and only the third man ever to complete a 5000m and 10,000m Commonwealth double at the same Games.

Moses Kipsiro did it in 2010 in New Delhi, India - the first time it had been done at the Games in over 70 years.

Uganda now has three gold and two bronze medals at this edition of the global competition, which concludes this Sunday.

Stella Chesang and Mercyline Chelangat took gold and bronze, respectively, in the women's 10,000m final on Monday.

Boxer Juma Miiro bagged bronze in the men's 46-49kg category.

 

 

How other Ugandans did on Friday

Albert Chemutai finished fifth in the men's 3000m steeplechase final with a personal best time of 8:19.89 minutes.

 



Boxer Juma Miiro could not beat India's Amit Phangal in the men's 46-49kg semifinal, but he still won a bronze medal for having reached that stage of the competition.

 


In the women's 800m final, Winnie Nanyondo took fourth place with a time of 2:00.36.

 


Dorcus Ajok was also in the same race. She finished sixth with a time of 2:01.22 minutes.

 

 



A new force to reckon with

Kipsiro did the 10,000m double eight years ago to set himself apart from the rest in the event. Fast-forward to present day and again, it is a fellow Ugandan that has done what only two other men have achieved in the history of athletics.

And how the lanky Cheptegei did it in style!

The Ugandan came round the final bend on the Carrara Stadium track in the lead, but with a marauding Ahmed hot on his heels. But Cheptegei, as he did last Sunday, made an impressive burst on the home straight to convincingly take another gold.

His Canadian challenger gave it his all, but the Ugandan long-distance runner was not to be denied a dream double.

Mark the name on the bib, people. Mark the name. Cheptegei. Joshua Cheptegei it is


It has been an impressive last eight months for Cheptegei, who won silver at the World Championships in London last year - crossing the line after home interest Mo Farah.

In 2015, the man who was born in the eastern Uganda district of Kapchorwa took the men's 10,000m gold at the African Junior Championships in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa.

The year before, he had won the men's 10,000m gold at the World Junior Championships in Eugene, USA.

 

 

 Golden Uganda at Commonwealth 10,000m finals

 

Uganda has won the men's 10,000m finals at each of the last four Commonwealth Games editions: 2006, 2010, 2014, 2018.

In 2006 (Melbourne, Australia), Boniface Kiprop Toroitich (27:50.99) outran Kenya's Geoffrey Kipngeno (27:51.16) to win Uganda's second gold medal at the event.

In 2010 (New Delhi, India), Kipsiro (27:57.39) beat Kenyan Daniel Lemashon Salel (27:57.57).

In 2014 (Glasgow, Scotland), Kipsiro (27:56.11) defended his and Uganda's title in explosive style, dipping his head across the line to narrowly beat Josphat Bett Kipkoech (27:56.14) of Kenya in a thrilliing finale.

And Friday's victory by Cheptegei underlined Uganda's dominance of the event on the global stage.

 



Other Commonwealth Games athletics medals for Uganda

Gold Coast 2018: Stella Chesang (gold) - women's 10,000m

Gold Coast 2018: Mercyline Chelangat (bronze) - women's 10,000m

Glasgow 2014: Winnie Nanyondo (bronze) - women's 800m

Glasgow 2014: Abraham Kiplimo (bronze) - men's marathon

Melbourne 2006: Dorcus Inzikuru (gold) - women's 3000m steeplechase


ALSO RELATED TO THIS STORY

Cheptegei eyes Commonwealth double gold

Cheptegei wins men's 5000m gold at Gold Coast

Uganda wins women's 10,000m Commonwealth gold and bronze

Boxer Juma Miiro secures Commonwealth bronze

 

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