Two-time world record holder and Uganda’s iconic long-distance runner, Joshua Cheptegei, has secured Uganda’s first gold medal at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, France.
Cheptegei made history on Friday, August 2, by winning his first-ever Olympic gold medal in the men’s 10,000 meters after multiple attempts. He triumphed in a closely contested race, setting an Olympic record time of 26:43.14. Cheptegei finished 30 microseconds ahead of Ethiopia’s Berihu Aregawi, who clocked 26:43.44, while Grant Fisher of the United States took third place with a time of 26:43.46.
This victory broke Ethiopian Kenenisa Bekele’s previous Olympic record of 27:01.17, set at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
Another pre-race favorite, Jacob Kiplimo, finished in eighth place. Kiplimo had secured bronze in the 10,000m at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Martin Kiprotich, the other Ugandan in the race, posted a personal best of 28:20.72 despite finishing 22nd.
The 10,000m gold was the only missing piece in Cheptegei’s impressive list of accolades. He had previously won gold in the 5,000m at the Tokyo Olympics but settled for silver in the 10,000m when he was edged out by Ethiopia’s Selemon Barega.
Cheptegei, the world record holder in both the 10,000m and 5,000m, has also claimed the 10,000m gold three times consecutively at the World Championships.
With this victory, Cheptegei earns 100 million Ugandan shillings, a financial incentive promised by the government for any gold medalist at the Olympics.
