Cheptegei leads Uganda's assault on 10000m gold
Oct 06, 2019
The Kapchorwa-born athlete brings huge credentials having won this competition at junior level in 2014
World Athletics Championships: Men's 10000m Final (8 pm)
Uganda could have the last laugh as the curtain descends on the 17th edition of the World Athletics Championship tonight.
Uganda's biggest name Joshua Cheptegei takes centre stage on the final day as the country winds up what could also turn out as its most successful outing.
Cheptegei, 23, will be in action in the 10,000-meter final at 8 pm. Cheptegei brings huge credentials having won this competition at junior level in 2014.
At the last senior championship in London, he lit up the competition with a battle against Mo Farah that ended in the Briton edging Cheptegei to gold.
With a World Cross-country gold, Diamond League title 2017 silver and 15-kilometre world record, Cheptegei starts off today's final as a clear favourite.
He will also not be short of teamwork in the hot conditions of Doha's Khalifa Stadium. He will be aided by fellow Ugandan Abdallah Mande.
"This is a medal I have always wanted to win. I strongly believe that this is my chance," stated Cheptegei.
There are all signs that it will be an East African battle with Eritrea, Ethiopia and Kenya also eyeing the podium.
Ethiopia's Hagos Gebrhiwet is one of the favourites to win the race. AFP Photo
Ethiopia presents a formidable challenge led by experienced two-time world 5000m medallist Hagos Gebrhiwet.
The 25-year-old set a world-leading 26:48.95 in Hengelo and with four podium finishes over 5000m on the IAAF Diamond League circuit.
His compatriot Selemon Barega is also a top-quality athlete as shown last year by racing to fourth place on the world all-time list with a scintillating 12:43.02 in Brussels.
The 19-year-old has shown great consistency this year with a trio second-place finishes over 5000m on the IAAF Diamond League circuit in addition to the national U-20 record of 26:49.46 he posted for second in Hengelo. Yomif Kejelcha will be the third Ethiopian to look out for.
Ethiopia is out to emulate the glorious days of Haile Gebrselassie and Kenenisa Bekele Surprisingly, Kenya has not won this title since Charles Kamathi triumphed in Edmonton Joshua Cheptegei expected to gun for honours in Doha today 18 years ago.