The athletics team heading to Tokyo, Japan, for the 20th World Athletics Championships will have to shake off the cold feet and perform without Joshua Cheptegei and Jacob Kiplimo
The people of Sebei Sub-region will have a total of 16 kins, which is part of a 21-member squad that will take part in the event from September 13 to 21.
For the past 10 years, Olympic Champion Joshua Cheptegei and his clansman, Jacob Kiplimo, have dominated athletics camps travelling abroad because of their stellar performance. With the former being a captain of the team for many years.
However, the duo have made it clear they are focused on the October marathons.
Uganda Athletics Federation (UAF) president Dominic Otucet struggled on Friday to explain to the media why the pair would be absent, but maintained they are prepared to perform without them.
“Whereas the two had qualified, they have indicated to us they are not in a position to go to Tokyo,” Mr Otucet told the 21-runner team to Japan.
He added that, as a federation, “we have respected their position.”
Cheptegei and Kiplimo pride in a combined four Olympic medals that contribute to the total 13-medal cabinet that Uganda has won.
Since his London edition in 2017, Cheptegei has won three straight 10,000 metres titles and a silver in the World Championships.
The Olympic champion now prefers to run the Amsterdam Marathon in the Netherlands on October 19.
Kiplimo, on the other hand, will run the Chicago Marathon in Illinois, USA, on October 12.
Some of the participants
Two-time Olympic medalist Peruth Chemutai will participate in the women’s 3000 metres steeplechase.
Oscar Chelimo, Kiplimo’s half-brother, will be in the 5,000-metre race. He hopes to perform better than his 2022 bronze medal.
Victor Kiplangat, the World marathon champion, is also keen on retaining his title that he won two years ago at Heroes’ Square in Budapest, Hungary. UAF have also added Stephen Kissa to the list. He is remembered for coming fourth after recovering from a fall at a water point in Budapest.
The federation also gave two other marathon slots to Abel Chelangat and Solomon Mutai. The latter won bronze at the 2015 Worlds in Beijing, China as well as silver at the 2018 Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast in Australia.
The team has been training at the Trinity Bible College in Kapchorwa District. They depart for Tokyo in three batches, with the first group flying out of the country today and has been flagged off by Milton Chebet Assistant General Secretary (technical )at National council of sports.
