Ugandan athlete Josua Cheptegei has won another gold medal for team Uganda at the ongoing commonwealth games in Gold Coast Australia.
Cheptegei clocked 26:17:53 to win the 10,000 meter race on Friday afternoon and earn team Uganda its fifth overall medal at the events.
In doing so, he also broke the games record set by Kenya’s Wilberforce Talel in 2002 who had set it(record) by clocking a time of 26:52:81 in Manchester.
This is Cheptegei’s second gold at the events after winning gold in the 5,000 meters race on Sunday.
He becomes the second Ugandan to win two golds at a single commonwealth event after Moses Ndiema Kipsiro won the same races(5,000 and 10,000) in Delhi eight years ago.
“We(Uganda) have now won three golds and it makes me proud, said Cheptegei after the race.
Earlier in the day Winnie Nanyondo and Dorcus Ajok finished 4th and 6th respectively in the 800m finals to miss out on the available medals.
Uganda’s only standing boxer Juma Miiro also lost his semi finals bout with India’s Amit in the Men’s LightFly Weight hence propelling Miiro to settle for bronze.
Friday also saw sprinter Ronald Musagala fail to qualify for the finals of the Men’s 1500m finals as he finished outside the qualification spots.
Albert Chemutai also came 5th in the 3000m steeplechase finals on the same day.
The Commonwealth games will end on Sunday.
Uganda’s Medalists so far:
- Josua Chiptegei(Gold) – 5,000 meters
- Josua Cheptegei(Gold) – 10,000 meters
- Stella Chipsang(Gold) – 10,000 meters
- Mercyline Chelangat(Bronze) – 10,000 meters
- Juma Bashir(yet to be determined) – Boxing
