Uganda continued its 10,000m domination as the East African nation bagged gold and bronze at the 2022 World Athletics Championships in Oregon, on Sunday, July 17.
Uganda’s medals came courtesy of world record holder Joshua Cheptegei and 2020 Half marathon champion Jacob Kiplimo. The latter won the bronze medal while Cheptegei clinched gold, successfully defending the title he won during the 2019 edition, held in Doha, Qatar.
Stanley Mburu Waithaka ran a well strategized race to win Kenya's second silver medal in a star-studded race that had the likes of Ethiopia's Selemon Barega and United States Grant Fisher.
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The 22-year-old was in the leading pack of the race from the start. Waithaka did not allow other athletes to leave him behind. With one lap to go, Cheptegei turned the screw to cross the finishing line in 27:27.43.
Mburu who won a 5,000m silver medal during the 2018 Under 20 World Athletics Championships crossed the finish line with 27:27:90 ahead of Kiplimo who clocked 27:27.97.
Olympic Champion Barega who was the race favorite settled for 5th in the hotly contested race.
Other Kenyan representatives Daniel Mateiko and Rodgers Kwemoi finished 8th and 15th respectively. The latter clocked 27:52.26 while Mateiko reached the finishing line in 27:33.57.
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The 10,000m World Championships gold medal has remained elusive for Kenya for 21 years. The last runner to bag the coveted title was Charles Kamathi in 2001. Kamathi defeated the likes of Ethiopian legend Haile Gebrselassie and Assefa Mezgebu in Edmonton, Canada.
Kenya now has a total of three medals at the ongoing championships. Hellen Obiri and Margaret Chelimo won silver and bronze on Saturday in the 10,000m women’s race which was won by Ethiopia's world record holder Letesenbet Gidey.
There is a very high chance of Kenya adding a gold medal to its tally when Olympic Champion Faith Kipyegon Chepngetich takes part in the 1500m final on Monday. However, Kipyegon will have to overcome the likes of defending champion Sifan Hassan of Netherlands.
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