Joshua Kiprui Cheptegei has completed the double by winning the men’s 10,000m after his 5,000m gold at the ongoing Commonwealth Games in Australia. He also set a Commonwealth Games record of 27:19:62 in the 10,000m.
The 21-year-old has become the third in history to win the 5,000m and 10,000m double at the Commonwealth Games. The last Ugandan to achieve the feat was Moses Kipsiro at the Delhi Games in 2010, while the previous CWG record of 27:45:39 was held by Kenya’s Wilberforce Talel in 2002. Cheptegei beat Talel’s record by 25 seconds.
In today’s race Cheptegei came ahead of Mo Ahmed of Canada in the final lap while Kenya’s Rodgers Kwemboi held on for bronze coming in third. Jacob Kiplimo of Uganda came fourth.
Stella Chesang is another Ugandan who won Gold in the women’s 10000m (25 laps) final after clocking a time of 31:45.30. Mercyline Chelangat picked up Bronze after finishing third in the same race.
Uganda now has three Gold medals and one bronze, making it ranked the 14th country in the CWG and the third in Africa behind South Africa which has 11 gold, 10 silver and 5 bronze and Nigeria with 4 Gold, 3 silver and 7 bronze.
