World record holder Joshua Cheptegei took the gold in the gruelling men’s 5000m final at the Tokyo Olympic Stadium, finishing ahead of Mohammed Ahmed of Canada, who took the silver, and Paul Chelimo of the United States who scooped the bronze.
Cheptegei, with a time of 12 minutes, 58.15, became the first Ugandan to win the event as he bagged the Olympic gold that has eluded him for so long.
Jacob Kiplimo of Uganda was in front of the pack early, but his countryman Cheptegei took over the front spot midway through the race and didn’t let go of it until a six-man pack pushed ahead of the rest to set-up the final push.
Cheptegei sealed the gold with a ferocious charge over the last section, with Ahmed nipping second.
This becomes Uganda’s fourth Gold medal at the Olympic Games after Peruth Chemutai’s win in the women’s 3000m steeplechase earlier this week, John Akii-Bua in 1972 and Stephen Kiprotich in 2012.
