Event: 5000m final, Tokyo 2020
Time: Friday 3:00PM
Ugandan Participants: Joshua Cheptegei, Jacob Kiplimo, Oscar Chelimo
Where to Watch: Sanyuka Television
The world will be watching as world champion and world 5000m record holder Joshua Cheptegei makes his last attempt at an Olympic gold medal this Friday in the 5000m final of the ongoing 2020 olympics. Despite already having silver to show, the masses want more.
It is not everyday that a Ugandan heads into any race as an odds on favourite to win a medal in such an elite competition, but in recent years, Cheptegei has earned such expectation.
A week ago when he ‘faltered’ in the 10,000 metre final to settle for silver in Tokyo, some weren’t convinced. Instead of crediting him for finishing in the medal brackets, with the second most prestigious place on the podium, many instead bashed the tactics that cost him and the country what would be the first gold medal at this year’s games.
Cheptegei arrived second in a time of 27:43:63 to fall to a little known 21 year old Ethiopian Selemon Balega who crossed the finish line in 27:43:22.
Despite him not looking his ‘Cheptegei best’ all through out the games, there is reason to believe the theory that over relying on team tactics could have denied the son of Kapchorwa a much coveted gold medal.
With Stephen Kissa the sacrifice in the race, Cheptegei and eventual bronze medallist Jacob Kiplimo took long to engage sprint gear as they approached the home stretch, the Ethiopian who had got his timing right was way ahead and it was too late for the Ugandans to catch him.
Other factors could have affected their performance. Going into the 10,000m, Uganda hadn’t won a single event in the Olympics and Cheptegei knew that he carried the hopes of a whole nation. This is his favourite race, he holds the world record and with no Mo Farah to worry about, the world had every reason to crown him a champion before the championships. He had raised the expectations that high.
This expectation however must have brought some pressure for the 24-year-old and perhaps affected his performance.
The situation is different going into Friday’s 5000 metre final. A very unlikely candidate Peruth Chemutai has lifted the pressure of a gold medal for Uganda from Cheptegei and his colleagues having won the 3000m steeplechase.
The 5000m race is one the boys will go out to enjoy themselves. Despite the record books favouring Cheptegei, back home we know that he might not exactly be the odds on favourite in this one. His 10,000 podium colleague Jacob Kiplimo has always been viewed to potentially have a slight edge over Cheptegei in this event.
Despite being teammates and great colleagues, the trio know that when the bullet goes on Friday, everyone will be on their own.
Oscar Chelimo too should not be written off, his fourth place finish in heat one might have been a few seconds off Cheptegei and Kiplimo in their heat, but the 19-year-old did not get there by mistake. Like Chemutai, this could be his year.
For Chelimo and Kiplimo, this event will present a hitherto unseen on-track ‘bromance’ in Ugandan sport. The two blood brothers will be performing at the biggest stage together on the same track for the first time.
The strategy will be for them to enjoy themselves on the fast Olympic stadium track, with the hope that they will bring joy to the huge crowd that will be rooting for them from home.
Who knows, Uganda could even do a One, Two, Three. Just make sure you catch every ounce of the action on Uganda’s home of Sport Sanyuka Television.
