Uganda's Mutai wins Commonwealth marathon silver

Apr 15, 2018

Solomon Munyo Mutai finishes second to take the silver medal in the men's marathon final on the last day of the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Australia's Gold Coast.

GOLD COAST 2018 COMMONWEALTH GAMES

Sunday men's marathon final results:

1. Michael Shelley (Australia) - 2:16.46

2. Solomon Mutai (Uganda) - 2: 19.02

3. Robbie Simpson (Scotland) - 2:19.36

Team Uganda will return home with six medals - three gold, one silver and two bronze - after Solomon Munyo Mutai finished second in Sunday's men's marathon final at the Gold Coast in Australia.

The 25-year-old Ugandan marathoner, who won bronze at the 2015 World Championships in Beijing, cast a figure of resilience as he crossed the finish line to take his first ever Commonweath Games medal.

A podium finish eluded him in the last Games in Glasgow, Scotland, where he finished fourth. But Mutai was not be denied this time.

He came through with a time of 2:19.02 hours behind Australia's Michael Shelley, who was more than two minutes better, with a winning finish time of 2:16.46.

Scotland's Robbie Simpson was hot on Mutai's heels, but eventually had to settle for bronze with a time of 2:19.36.

Two other Ugandans took part in Sunday's marathon. Alex Chesakit, 37, came in seventh with a time of 2:23.06.

 

 

 

But 20-year-old Robert Chemonges, who finished 43rd in the London World Championships last year, did not complete the race this time.

Kenya's Julius Nderitu Karinga, Kenneth Mburu Mungara and Nicholas Manza Kamakya finished 9th, 10th and 16, respectively.

Team Uganda soars

This is the most successful that Uganda has been at any Commonwealth Games edition.

In the 2014 edition in Glasgow, the East African nation, best known as the Pearl of Africa, bagged five medals - one gold and four bronze.

This time, with three gold, a silver and two bronze, Team Uganda's medals bag glitters more than it ever did at a Commonwealth competition. A worthwhile harvest this time round!

Joshua Kiprui Cheptegei started it off last Sunday by winning the men's 5000m final at the Carrara Stadium.

Stella Chesang and Mercyline Chelangat heaped more medals in the bag after their success in the women's 10,000m final, taking gold and bronze, respectively.

Boxer Juma Miiro won bronze in the men's 46-49kg semifinal, before Cheptegei returned to mine more gold in the men's 10,000m final.

The missing piece was silver. And Mutai did well to secure that too for Uganda to complete the sweep.

Last year, he finished 11th at the World Championships in London. And at the 2016 Olympic Games in Brazil's Rio de Janeiro, Mutai was an 8th-place finisher, also in the men's marathon.

 

 

Uganda's podium finishes at Gold Coast 2018

Joshua Cheptegei bagged two gold medals in the men's 5000m and 10,000m finals.

 



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

 



Juma Miiro won bronze in boxing's men's 46-49kg category.

 



Solomon Munyo Mutai was a silver medallist in the men's marathon.

 

 

 




Also related to this story

Cheptegei wins second Commonwealth gold

Boxer Miiro secures bronze in Australia

Chesang and Chelangat win gold and bronze

Cheptegei wins gold in men's 5000m final


 

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