05 August 2024 | Athletics

Joshua Kiprui Cheptegei has opted out of the 5,000m race in the 2024 Paris Olympic Games after winning the 10,000m gold medal in the ongoing tournament.

The development was due to Cheptegei's injury during the 10,000m race he ran on Friday, August 2, 2024.

According to Daily Monitor, the injury was triggered by a colleague's heavy fall on Cheptegei after the tight and thrilling race.

“An athlete fell on him during celebrations, but it wasn’t serious. However, he felt a lot of pain on Saturday morning and might not be in the right shape for the race,” a source told Daily Monitor.

The sad happening has forced the Ugandan Olympic Committee to remove the athlete’s name from the list ahead of the race’s heats on Wednesday, August 7.

Cheptegei’s dismissal from the list now hands the mantle to Jacob Kiplimo, who will be out to search for a slot on the podium.

Cheptegei is the defending champion of the 5,000m race after securing gold in Tokyo. He will not have a chance to double his medals like it was in the previous edition.

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