The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Kiprop and Cherop win medals, ready to take over from Cheptegei and Chemutai
U-20 men’s 5000m final 👏
🥇 Andrew Alamisi 🇰🇪
🥈 Abdisa Fayisa 🇪🇹
🥉 Keneth Kiprop 🇺🇬
U-20 women’s 5000m final 👏
🥇 Medina Eisa 🇪🇹
🥈 Mekedes Alemshete 🇪🇹
🥉 Charity Cherop 🇺🇬
Lima, Peru | THE INDEPENDENT & IAAF | Exactly 10 years after Joshua Cheptegei announced his arrival on the world scene, another Ugandan long distance star has been born. Keneth Kiprop, 19 years old.
Kiprop Tuesday night grabbed a bronze medal in a highly competitive World Athletics U20 Championships men’s 5000m final, that was decided after a sprint finish in Lima.
Kenya’s Andrew Kiptoo Alamisi was too good for the rest, soaring to victory in 13:41.14 ahead of Ethiopia’s Abdisa Fayisa (13:41.56) and Uganda’s Kiprop (13:41.73) at the Estadio Atletico de la Videna.
Not to be outdone, a future Ugandan women’s champion also stepped up into the shoes of Peruth Chemutai Tuesday night — Charity Cherop, just 17 years old.
On a cool, crisp evening in the Peruvian capital, Uganda’s Cherop got a bronze in a personal best time of 15:25.02. Pre-race fovourite Ethiopia’s Medina Eisa turned up the heat on her rivals to successfully defend her 5000m title, the highlight of the first day of action at the World Athletics U20 Championships Lima 24.
Eisa’s winning time of 14:39.71 carved more than 28 seconds off the championship record set by Genzebe Dibaba, which had stood since 2010, and brought her home well clear of her compatriot Mekedes Alemeshete. The two broke away from the field from the outset and alternated pace-setting duties, passing 2000m in 5:58.59 with a 40-metre lead.
The new 🇺🇬@joshuacheptege1 is born today 👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏
Double bronze for Uganda in Lima. #WorldAthleticsU20 https://t.co/PJme8Rfkkv
— Louis Jadwong (@Jadwong) August 28, 2024
Charity Cherop continues a great tradition of Ugandan teenage long distance running set by the likes of Peruth Chemutai ( 2nd 3000mSC 2018), Prisca Chesang, Dorcus Inzikuru, Winnie Jemutai and Annet Negesa.
Chemutai,25, has since gone on to win Olympic gold and silver in consecutive Olympic Games, while Cheptegei,27 is not only the world record holder of the 5,000m and 10,000m, but also two time Olympic champion plus three time World Champion.
Lima is hosting the World Athletics U20 Championships for the first time, bringing together more than 1,700 athletes and 130 teams from around the world.
Earlier, two other Ugandans made it to the next stage of the women’s 3000m steeplechase.
The heats saw a dominant performance from race favourite Sembo Almayew who coasted to victory in 9:30.59 ahead of Kenya’s Diana Chepkemoi and Uganda’s Nancy Chepkwurui (9:49.06). Ethiopia’s Firehiwot Gesese eased to victory in the other heat in 10:00.96 ahead of Uganda’s Loice Chekwemoi (10:01.85) and Kenya’s Sharon Chepkemoi (10:07.59).
VIDEO
Team Uganda for World Athletics U20 Championships arrived safely in the city of Lima, Peru.@WorldAthletics
Goodluck team 🇺🇬🇺🇬🇺🇬 pic.twitter.com/9Hrg7el6lQ— Uganda Athletics Federation-UAF (@UgaAthletics2) August 26, 2024
The Ugandan team for the World Athletics U20 Championships, scheduled for August 27th to 30th, has departed for Lima, Peru. Wishing them the best of luck in their competition!@WorldAthletics pic.twitter.com/Kx7kFV39m7
— Uganda Athletics Federation-UAF (@UgaAthletics2) August 24, 2024
