Ugandan long-distance runner Joshua Cheptegei has credited self-talk as one of the most important ingredients to his success.

Cheptegei is aiming to shine at the Budapest Athletics World Championships and he isn’t planning to change anything.

Speaking to Olympics.com, he highlighted the importance of a pep-talk before his runs which makes him a good competitor.

“I’ve always had to convince my mind that, ‘you’re the best…You can do this!’”, Cheptegei told Olympics.com in an exclusive interview.

“Sometimes you need such kind of self-talk where you reason with yourself.”

Cheptegei is the reigning Olympic champion in the 5000 metres and silver medalist for the 10,000 metres, a two-time 10,000 m World champion from 2019 and 2022.

At the championships which unfold at Hungary’s new National Athletics Centre between 19-27 August, Cheptegei is going to run the 5,000m and 10,000m alongside Oscar Chelimo, Rogers Kibet and Joel Ayeko.

Ugandan sprinter Shida Leni has won the women’s 400m at the World Athletics Continental Tour Challenger in Brussels-Louyet, Belgium.

Leni posted 53:05 to defeat Great Britain’s Natasha Harrison who finished second in 53:06 and Finland’s Mette Baas, third in 53:29.

The 29-year-old however wasn’t that much impressed with her time stamp as she hoped she could run faster.

“First place in Belgium today,” she wrote on her social media. “I was hoping for faster, but happy to take the win.

“Thank you for having me BMW Louyet Meeting. Been a tough season, but very motivated now for 2024. Thanks to my coaches for always helping me.”

Shida’s most notable international achievement was the 400m Silver Medal (51.64) at the 2019 World University Games held in Naples, Italy.

In February 2018, in Kampala, she ran 52.47 to break the 12-year-old 400m National Record. She has now broken this record on 7 occasions, most recently at the 2019 National Championships (51.47).

Race Results

Name	Club	Category	CBP
1	Leni Shida	Uganda	53,05
2	Natasha Harrison	United Kingdom	53,06
3	Mette Baas	Finland	53,29
4	Annkathrin Hoven	Germany	54,40
5	Laura De Witte	The Netherlands	54,52
6	Andrea Bouma	The Netherlands	54,54
7	Eline Claeys	AC Lanaken	54,73
8	Ilana Hanssens	KASV Oudenaarde	54,73
9	Maureen Ellsworth	The Netherlands	55,61
10	Cecilie Færge	Denmark	56,46

Ugandan runner Winnie Nanyondo has been listed to headline the Women’s Mile in the Condor Executive Street Mile, on Friday, August 25 in Larne, Northern Ireland.

Nanyondo will run the race which will also kick start the weekend’s World Athletics Elite Label Antrim Coast Half Marathon.

The two times Ugandan Olympian and Commonwealth Games bronze medallist, Nanyondo brings top expertise and experience with personal bests of 1:58:63 for 800m and 3:59:58 for 1500m.

She will look to run close to her 4min 18-sec mile personal best at this year’s road Mile.

Ruth McIlroy, concert organiser, told Yahoo News: “Our event gets bigger and better each year! It’s a family-friendly event, with food and drink available, so it appeals to everyone.

“We’re expecting a big crowd this year, as Tony Hadley is such an iconic singer, so make sure to get your tickets well in advance.”

Nanyondo will first feature in the Women’s 1500m at the 2023 Budapest World Athletics Championships between 19th to 22nd August.

The final entry lists for the World Athletics Championships Budapest 23 have confirmed that more than 2100 athletes from 202 teams intend to compete in the event.

The action will unfold at Hungary’s new National Athletics Centre between 19-27 August and Uganda has 21 athletes listed.

However, Uganda will now take 20 athletes after the world record holder for the half marathon – Jacob Kiplimo was ruled out due to injury.

Uganda will also miss Janat Chemusto who was excluded after the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) announced her suspension on August 6 for her positive results for the banned substance Norandrosterone.

TEAM UGANDA – ATHLETES by COUNTRY and EVENT

Men
200 Metres
Tarsis Gracious OROGOT

800 Metres
Tom DRADRIGA

1500 Metres
Abu MAYANJA

5000 Metres
Oscar CHELIMO
Joshua CHEPTEGEI

10,000 Metres
Joel AYEKO
Joshua CHEPTEGEI
Rogers KIBET

Marathon
Victor KIPLANGAT
Stephen KISSA
Andrew Rotich KWEMOI

3000 Metres Steeplechase
Leonard CHEMUTAI

Women

800 Metres
Halimah NAKAAYI

1500 Metres
Winnie NANYONDO

5000 Metres
Sarah CHELANGAT
Prisca CHESANG

10,000 Metres
Sarah CHELANGAT
Stella CHESANG

Marathon
Mercyline CHELANGAT
Rebecca CHEPTEGEI
Doreen CHESANG

3000 Metres Steeplechase
Peruth CHEMUTAI

Ugandan long-distance athlete Jacob Kiplimo, a bronze medallist at the last World Championships has been ruled out of the World Athletics Championships in Budapest, Hungary, on August 19-27.

Kiplimo sustained the injury on August 1st while in training at the high-altitude, Kapchorwa in Eastern Uganda and will only recover in three weeks, effectively ruling him out of the competition.

According to a statement released on his social media, Kiplimo is gutted to miss the showpiece after longing to take part in it since the beginning of the year.

“Unfortunately I have to withdraw from the world championships in Budapest starting on 19 August.
On 1st August I got an injury during a speedwork sessionm [sic]” he wrote on his social media.

“Together with my team, coach, management, Federation and the physio we tried everything possible to manage and be ready for my races in Hungary.

“After almost two weeks of treatments and medical consultings [sic] I’m still not able to train and run 100% and of course, I could not be [sic] able to fight for what I trained for the whole year.

“Budapest was the main goal of 2023 and renouncing my participation is very sad for me, but this is the sport. 1 thank my staff to have tried whatever was possible to make it.

He added; “I wish all my Ugandan teammates and all the athletes attending the championships all the best.”

The double Commonwealth champion will, however, be expected to compete in Latvia in September for the half-marathon.

Team Uganda:

Men: Tarsis Gracious Orogot, Oscar Chelimo, Joshua Cheptegei, Rogers Kibet, Stephen Kisa, Victor Kiplangat, Andrew Rotich, Kwemoi Dan Kibet, Joel Ayeko, Leonard Chemutai, Tom Dradringa, Abu Mayanja

Women: Halima Nakaayi, Winnie Nanyondo, Sarah Chelangat, Stella Chesang, Rebecca Cheptegei, Mercyline Chelangat, Doreen Chesang, Susan Aneno

The prize money for this year’s World Athletics Championships in Budapest, Hungary will be more than UGX 200M for Gold medals and world record breakers in the competition.

For individual events, winners of the Gold medal will walk away with UGX 260M while silver and bronze will earn UGX 130M and UGX 82M respectively.

There will be prizes for positions up to 8th place in every race. Uganda is sending a 21-member team for the event on August 19-27.

The team includes Joshua Kiprui Cheptegei, Chemutai Peruth, Olympics 3,000m steeplechase defending champion, and Nakaayi Halima, women’s 800m world champion in 2019.

Athletes who set a world record will be eligible for a special award of US$100,000 offered by TDK and World Athletics’ new Inside Track platform.

World Athletics Championships Prize Money

Individual events
Gold: US$70,000
Silver: US$35,000
Bronze: US$22,000
Fourth place: US$16,000
Fifth place: US$11,000
Sixth place: US$7000
Seventh place: US$6000
Eighth place: US$5000

Relays (per team)
Gold: US$80,000
Silver: US$40,000
Bronze: US$20,000
Fourth place: US$16,000
Fifth place: USD $12,000
Sixth place: US$8000
Seventh place: US$6000
Eighth place: US$4000

Performances that equal the existing world record will not be eligible for a world record award.

Uganda Athletics Federation (UAF) President Dominic Otuchet believes team Uganda has prepared well enough ahead of the World Athletics Championships in Budapest, Hungary, on August 19-27.

Team Uganda was announced with 21 athletes set to represent the country in multiple categories at the showpiece later this month.

Otuchet says the group has been put through their paces and will deliver at the continental stage.

“Most of the athletes on the team have had the chance to compete on the big stage and have been preparing well,” Otuchet told Xinhua.

The team includes Joshua Cheptegei, the current world 10,000m defending champion, and Jacob Kiplimo, a bronze medallist at the last World Championships.

Peruth Chemutai, the Olympics 3000m Steeplechase defending champion, and Halima Nakaayi, the women’s 800m world champion in 2019 are also part of the contingent.

Janat Chemusto was excluded after the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) announced her suspension on August 6 for her positive results for the banned substance Norandrosterone.

Ugandan runner and double national champion Janat Chemusto has been provisionally suspended by Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) for the presence/use of a Prohibited Substance (Norandrosterone).

The 25-year-old will now step aside from participating in any competition or activity in Athletics prior to a final decision at a hearing conducted under the World Athletics Anti-Doping Rules or the Integrity Code of Conduct.

Chemusto had just ruled herself out of the 2023 World Athletics Championships after she sustained an injury to her ankle and Achilles while in Poland during the Silesia Wanda Diamond League in mid-July.

The suspension comes as double trouble for Team Uganda heading to the games, as she will have to wait for a verdict on her case as she recovers from injury.

The AIU has provisionally suspended Janat Chemusto (Uganda) for the presence/use of a Prohibited Substance (Norandrosterone).

Details here: https://t.co/Y8LF9j2o9f pic.twitter.com/nGF70djVd3

— Athletics Integrity Unit (@aiu_athletics) August 4, 2023

Ugandan sprinter Shida Leni is back racing in Europe after staging camp in Kenya for several weeks.

Leni last raced at the Trials For World Athletics Championships Budapest 2023 in Nairobi and after crossing the tape 5th, posting 53.04 in 400m, she embarked on a journey to Europe.

Already, she has competed at the Luxembourg Meeting International Schifflange where she posted 53.86 over the same distance, finishing 4th.

According to her, she intends to run Malmo in Sweden, then Finland and Belgium after a hamstring behind her early this season.

“After a hamstring injury earlier this season, I was not sure how much I would be able to race this year in Europe,” she wrote on her social media.

“As I look towards Paris 2024 it’s good to get some races in. Luxembourg was rusty, Malmo in Sweden is next, then Finland, then Belgium. Mini European tour.”

Shida has participated in 16 races so far this year. She has managed to win a whopping 8 of them.

Team Uganda is in the thick and thin of streamlining its preparations ahead of the 2023 World Athletics Championships, which will take place from August 19 to 27 in Budapest, Hungary.

The group that includes Joshua Cheptegei is shaping up, with other 19 athletes also going through their paces.

Cheptegei is expected to lead the Ugandan team, but eyes will also be on double Commonwealth Games champion Jacob Kiplimo.

Dominic Otuchet, president of the Uganda Athletics Federation (UAF) feels the team will excel because they know what competing on the big stage means.

“They are now polishing up in the remaining days to be in shape ahead of the Championship,” Otuchet told Xinhua.

Team Uganda:

Men: Tarsis Gracious Orogot, Oscar Chelimo, Joshua Cheptegei, Jacob Kiplimo, Rogers Kibet, Stephen Kisa, Victor Kiplangat, Andrew Rotich, Kwemoi Dan Kibet, Joel Ayeko, Leonard Chemutai

Women: Halima Nakaayi, Winnie Nanyondo, Janat Chemusto, Sarah Chelangat, Stella Chesang, Rebecca Cheptegei, Mercyline Chelangat, Doreen Chesang, Susan Aneno