The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
London, UK | THE INDEPENDENT | Uganda’s top long distance stars Joshua Cheptegei and Jacob Kiplimo will feature in the Great North Run Half marathon in England. The duo are currently preparing ahead of the run slated for September 12th.
They will face tough opposition from Ethiopian star runners like Kenenisa Bekele, and Selemon Barega among others.
Cheptegei who couldn’t take part in the just concluded Birmingham Common wealth Game due to an injury says he is now well and ready to compete again.
“I was worried, but I want to thank God that I am now injury free after receiving treatment,” Cheptegei told Uganda Radio Network in Kapchorwa.
Cheptegei won a gold medal at the World Championship, while Kiplimo bagged two gold medals at the Birmingham Commonwealth Games.
“I couldn’t sit and watch others preparing. So I had to start training immediately because I know the race in England will not be an easy one,” says Kiplimo.
Ethiopia’s Kenenisa Bekele is the second 2nd fastest marathoner in the world with the time of 2:01:41, which he ran in 2019 in Berlin, just two seconds off Eliud Kipchoge’s world record of 2:01:39.
Selemon Barega won the 10000m Gold in the Tokyo 2020 Olympics in Japan. National coach Njia Benjamin says the two athletes are preparing well ahead of the event in England. “We have hope that Cheptegei and Kiplimo will perform well in England,” says Njia.
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URN
Hope they will win the race.