The Ugandan son surprisingly shocked the World by breaking the 5,000M World record in his first boat race of the season with a brilliant solo run in Monaco as Diamond League action returned on Friday, August 14th. Joshua Cheptegei the new Champion boldly marked a record that will challenge many to beat after erasing the one that had stood for 16 years, originally set by Ethiopia’s Kenenisa Bekele.
Cheptegei’s Journey to become the World King
Cheptegei’s journey had blocks that could not allow him become what he is now. At school he started as a footballer and then turned to long jump activities,but he then changed the idea and shifted to racing activities.
Cheptegei’s victory in Monaco left every one completely at the sea. ” Oh!my goodness! he finally marks a new World record, Joshua Cheptegei! He is now the World champion in the 5,000m!” commentators were heard praising the Ugandan treasured son. Cheptegei struggled as a winner since school time up to where he finished.
In 2017,he became the silver medalist in the 10,000m event at the World Championship in London. Cheptegei also competed in the 10,000 metres at the 2015 World Championships in Beijing finishing 9th. He ran at the 2016 summer Olympics in the 5,000m and 10,000m, finishing eighth and sixth respectively.
Joshua was the 5,000 metres and 10,000 metres champion at the 2018 Common Wealth games.
Joshua Cheptegei is a four-time winner and champion of the Zevenheuvelenloop 15 kilometres road race in Nijmegen, Netherlands. In 2018 he set the World record for 15km road race.
He finished in 41:05 and improved the World record by 8 seconds, formerly set by Leonard Komon at the Zevenheuvelenloop in 2010. Abrar Osman finished second with 42:34 and the 2017 5,000m World Champion Muktar Edris placed third with 42:56 which marked his nearing the Monaco recprd making.
Cheptegei’s performance in summary:
2014– World Junior Championships in Eugene United States- 4th in the 10,000m and 1st in the 5,000m.
2015: – African Junior Championships- Addis Ababa, Ethiopia- 1st in 10,000m, – World Championships- Beijing, China- 9th in 10,000m
2016:- Olympic Games- Rio de Janeiro,Brazil- 8th in 5,000m,and 6th in 10,000m.
2017:- World Cross Country Championships- Kampala, Uganda- 30th in senior race.
– World Championships- London, United Kingdom- 2nd in 10,000m.
2018:- Common Wealth Games- Gold Coast, Australia- 1st in 5,000m and 1st in 10,000m.
2019:- World Cross Country Championships- Aarhus Denmark- 1st in 10km.
– World Championships- Doha, Qatar- 1st in 5km race.
2020:– Monaco Run- Monaco,France- 1st in 5km.
– Herculis – Monaco -1st in 5,000m.
World Records;
On 1st December 2019, he set a new 10km road race record in Valencia, Spain. His time of 26:38 improved on the previous World record,set by Leonard Komon in 2010, by 6 seconds.
On 16th February 2020, he set a new 5km road race World record in Monaco with a time of 12:51. The previous record was set by Robert Keter on 9th November 2019 in Lille,France.
On 13th August 2020, a day before the Herculis meet of the Diamond League in Monaco, Cheptegei announced that he aimed to return to the track and run his first official race in the season with a World record time in the 5,000m, which would be more than 20 seconds faster than his personal best on a track.
He set a new World record in the 5,000 metres with a time of 12:35.36 which broke Kenenisa Bekele’s 16-year-old record,the longest duration in the history of the event,by almost 2 seconds.
DON’T MISS;
Joshua Cheptegei Early Life;
Cheptegei was born on 12 September 1996 in Kapsewui,Kapchorwa district, Uganda.
In primary school, Cheptegei first played football and tried out the long jump and triple jump,but switched to running when he discovered his talent in distance running.
Cheptegei studied languages and literature in Kampala for two years,and is employed by the Uganda National Police. Joshua Cheptegei champion history of achievements is endless,he really deserves honor and monumental respect!
