Ugandan long-distance runner Jacob Kiplimo says he is ready to race at the Delhi Half Marathon because he is feeling fresh and in good shape.

The 21-year-old revealed this during an interview with World Athletics where he emphasized how he has been preparing for this race.

“I have been told that the Vedanta Delhi Half Marathon course is a quick one and the record suggests that you can run fast times there.

“It is always dangerous to make predictions about what you are going to do, but what I can say is that with a month to go to the race I am in good shape, and I will focus on preparing specifically for the race over the next few weeks,” he said.

Kiplimo wants to break the Half Marathon record one more time after doing exactly the same last year in November in Lisbon.

The star posted 57:31 shaving off one micro-second from Kenyan Kibiwott Kandie’s record he registered in 2020 Valencia.

Since 2018, the World Half Marathon has been upgraded every subsequent year by three Kenyans and only one Ugandan – Kiplimo.

Kiplimo feels he can run the fastest half marathon ever seen on Indian soil during his first visit to the country.

“I had a successful track season, although I would have liked to have done a little better at the World Championships.

“But I have not raced too much this year, so I am still fresh and I want to show the people of Delhi and India what I am capable of,” he added.

Ugandan runner Jacob Kiplimo will race at the 2022 Delhi Half Marathon, a World Athletics Elite Label road race, on Sunday 16 October.

The reigning world half marathon champion ran his phenomenal world record time of 57:31 in Lisbon last year.

He has already won both the 2022 RAK Half Marathon in Ras Al Khaimah in February in a world-leading 57:56 and then the Great North Run half marathon.

Kiplimo focused on the track and won a 10,000m bronze medal at the World Athletics Championships Oregon22 before gold at the 5000m and 10,000m distances at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.

The star wants to break another record – an Indian all-comers’ mark – which he expects to eclipse when he gets onto the track.

Ugandan long-distance runner Joshua Cheptegei has withdrawn from the 2022 Great North Run that is slated for Sunday 11 September 2022.

Cheptegei had been announced among the A-listers who were going to feature in the event in the Newcastle city center.

He was going to pair up with fellow Ugandan and reigning World Half Marathon Champion Jacob Kiplimo to give him a shot at the accolades.

Talking up the event, Cheptegei said; “It is with great sadness that I have to withdraw from Sunday’s Great North Run.

“I was really looking forward to competing in this historic race, but an injury won’t allow me to compete. I look forward to competing there in the future.”

Cheptegei was recently also ruled out of the 2022 Commonwealth games due to injury and body rest requirements as well.

Even after winning the Gold in the 2022 Oregon World Athletics Championships in the 10,000m men’s race, he couldn’t connect to Birmingham from the USA.

The Ugandan athletics community is mourning the passing on of Alex Cherop who perished in an accident while traveling to Uganda from Kenya.

According to Ug Sports, “Cherop passed away instantly when the vehicle he was riding in flipped multiple times in Eldoret, Kenya.”

The incident happened on Tuesday, August 30 and it hasn’t been the same without the athlete.

“What a great loss. A wonderful committed and focused young talent has gone prematurely. Rest in Peace,” Joshua Cheptegei commented.

Benjamin Njia, the Uganda Sports Federation (UAF) vice-president for technical matters said; “Alex was a much-disciplined trainee who always hoped to become a great runner in this country.”

Cherop was a middle and long-distance runner who was striving to make it to the echelons of greatness.

Sports categories of Athletics and Boxing have continued to dominate as Uganda’s major success stories in the Commonwealth Games.

To put it into perspective, Uganda has won medals at the stage only in athletics and boxing categories from the 1962 Perth Commonwealth Games.

Jacob Kiplimo was the star of Uganda’s show, winning 2 gold medals in the men’s 5000m and 10,000m finals.

Victor Kiplangat also secured his gold in the men’s marathon to make it three, followed by two bronze medals by ladies Peruth Chemutai and Teddy Nakimuli.

Chemutai won the women’s 3000m steeplechase while Nakimuli claimed the women’s light flyweight medal despite losing to Northern Ireland boxer Carly McNaul unanimously on all five judges’ scorecards.

These milestones marked an improving performance of female athletes as this was the first time two ladies won medals for Uganda at the events.

Uganda’s Ruth Kyalisima and Dorcus Inzikuru were the only female winners to ever walk away with medals before Teddy and Chemutai.

Kyalisima won silver in the 1982 Brisbane games in the women’s 400m hurdles final while Inzikuru won Gold in the 2006 Melbourne games in the women’s 3000m Steeplechase final.

Overall, Uganda’s success took her fourth on the Africa medal tally table with 5 medals, behind Kenya (16), South Africa (27), and Nigeria (33).

Jacob Kiplimo bagged another gold medal at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, United Kingdom.

Kiplimo powered to the finish line on the home stretch to claim the 5000m gold to complete a long-distance double at the games.

The Ugandan ran a season-best 13:8.08 to leave the Kenyan duo of Nicolas Kimeli and Jacob Krop settling for silver and bronze respectively.

The three had assumed a huge lead from the rest of the field, but when they reached the final bend, Kiplimo who was in third at the time, had a better finishing kick going past the Kenyans to claim gold.

The World Championship bronze medalist had earlier won the 10,000m gold.

The 21-year-old replicates past performances of Joshua Cheptegei (2018 Gold Coast) and Moses Kipsiro (2010 Delhi) to have won both the 5000m and 10,000m gold at the same games.

In total, Uganda has registered five medals, three of these are gold and two bronze.

Uganda’s Peruth Chemutai has won bronze in the Women’s 3000m Steeplechase final at the 2022 Commonwealth Games.

The Olympic gold medalist was good for Commonwealth gold but fell when she crashed over the barrier.

Chemutai however showed resilience to fight on into the medal bracket and came home in a time of 9:23.24.

Kenya’s Jackline Chepkoech won gold in 9:15.68 while Elizabeth Bird from England picked Silver.

Chemutai was the clear favourite going into the race and exchanged the lead with Kenya’s Chepkoech as the two burnt the field to create a reasonable gap.

Chemutai who fell short in the World Championships a month ago was in control of the race but fell down when trying to clear a barrier with about two laps to go.

It’s the fourth medal for Uganda at the games after Jacob Kiplimo (2) and Victor Kiplangat who won gold.

Meanwhile, boxer Teddy Nakimuli is already guaranteed a medal after getting a bye to the semifinals.

Ugandan sprinter Tarsis Orogot has been a revelation since he moved to the United States of America, studying on scholarship at the University of Alabama.

Orogot wanted to be in the men’s 200m final at the Oregon World Athletics Championships but came just close in 20.35 seconds, just not good enough for fifth place in Heat 2 at the Hayward Field.

His efforts were again going to be witnessed in the same distance at the 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth games but unfortunately travel hitches ruled him out.

“It’s no secret now that I won’t be competing at my first commonwealth games,” Orogot wrote on his social media.

“It all came down to visa issues. Even after my visa got issued it will get to me after the 200m has been run.”

His round one 100m and 200m races were bound to happen on 2nd and 4th August at the Alexander Stadium respectively.

He added; “I want to thank the Ugandan Federation and The Embassy of the Republic of Uganda in Washington D.C. that worked hard to have it expedited. Finally, it’s been a great season all thanks to the Almighty God.”

https://twitter.com/tarsis_de_gonya/status/1554855740665479169

His Oregon show meant that he had become Uganda’s first male sprinter at the Worlds since Davis Kamoga won 400m silver at the Athens 1997 edition.

He will now focus on preparing for the 19th Worlds in the Hungarian capital Budapest next year where stakes will even be higher.

Ugandan long-distance runner Jacob Kiplimo feels his victory in the men’s 10,000m final at the 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games was everything he needed this season.

Kiplimo delivered a late kick to win gold on Tuesday, defeating a three-man Kenyan threat of Kibiwott Kandie, Daniel Ebenyo, and Edward Zakayo Pingua.

Kenyans controlled the pace through much of the race until Kiplimo and Ebenyo broke free of the pack to reduce the battle for gold to a two-man fight with two laps to run.

Kiplimo surged forward in remarkable fashion during the last 100 metres to post a Games record time of 27 minutes, 9.19 seconds.

“I think for me winning this Commonwealth Games title was everything, the most important thing for me this season,” Kiplimo told Reuters.

“But I still have a lot of things to do in the future at the Olympics and world championships.”

With Kiplimo’s Golden show, Uganda has now won the men’s 10,000m at every Commonwealth Games since 2006.

2022 Commonwealth Games:

• Gold: Jacob Kiplimo (Uganda) – 27:09:19
• Silver: Daniel Simiu Ebenyo (Kenya) – 27:11:26
• Bronze: Kandie Kibiwott – (27:20:34)

Long distance runner Joshua Cheptegei has ruled himself out of the 2022 Commonwealth games due to injury and body rest requirements.

Cheptegei won Uganda Gold in the 2022 Oregon World Athletics Championships in the 10,000m men’s race.

He powered home defeating nemesis Ethiopian Selemon Barega (Olympic 10,000m gold medalist) in 27:27.43.

In a statement released on his social media, Cheptegei revealed how his body demands need to be met but recover from illness.

“Reference to the subject matter above, I write to express my personal inability to feature and defend my titles at the upcoming Commonwealth Games – Birmingham – United Kingdom next month,” read the statement.

“The utter decision comes after my stretched feat to defend my titles at the just concluded World Championships in Athletics – Oregon – United States.

“Since the 10,000m gold achievement at the Worlds, my body has demanded and requires some rest and recovery if I am to embark on future prospects and plans including the World Cross Country Championships early next year and World Championships in Athletics again later in the summer next year.

“I am really sad to have to withdraw from the Games. I was really looking forward to defending my title; especially at the 5000m event.

“I have endured some illness which has set back my training program and would not love to aggravate it. I have great belief in my brother; Jacob Kiplimo and all team-mates assembled to represent and do the job required of them for our nation – Uganda.

“I thank you all and wish the best of luck to Team Uganda at the Games!”

Cheptegei has already featured in 5 races this year, won three, the rest not podium finishes.