Uganda’s hopes for its first medals at the 2024 Paris Olympics hinge on Joshua Cheptegei and Jacob Kiplimo, who will compete today, Friday, August 2, in the men’s 10,000m final.
The event, starting at 10:20 PM, will also feature another Ugandan, Martin Kiprotich. Both Cheptegei and Kiplimo aim to return to the Olympics with renewed energy after securing silver and bronze, respectively, at the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games.
However, the race won’t be easy for the Ugandan duo, given the presence of Ethiopia’s Selemon Barega, who beat them to gold in the previous Olympics with a time of 27:43.22.
Cheptegei, a world record holder in the 10,000m and 5000m, has previously claimed gold in the 10,000m at the World Championships three times.
In addition to the men’s 10,000m, Uganda will have a busy Friday with six more athletes set to compete.
The day will kick off with Jesse Ssengonzi diving into the pool for the men’s 100m butterfly at 11:00 AM. The 21-year-old will aim to set a new personal best on the Olympic stage.
At 11:06 AM, rower Kathleen Grace Noble will return for the women’s single sculls Final E, aiming to leave a mark before officially retiring from the sport. She booked a berth in Final E after finishing second in the E/F 2 semifinal with a time of 8:38.78.
The track events will begin with the women’s 5000m Round 1 at 6:10 PM, featuring Joy Cheptoyek, Belinda Chemutai, and Esther Chebet. Chebet, who clinched bronze at the 2024 Africa Championships, will aim to advance to the finals. Cheptoyek and Chemutai, both known for their strong performances in long-distance running, will be pushing to secure a place in the next round and potentially contend for medals.
At 7:45 PM, Halimah Nakaayi will compete in the women’s 800m Round 1. Nakaayi, the 2019 world champion in this event, recently set a new national and personal best record of 1:57.26 at the London Diamond League.
