It’s Cheptegei time at IAAF World Athletics Championships 

When the IAAF World Athletics Championships get underway on August 19 in Hungary, Uganda’s odds of an extra podium finish will have reduced significantly. This follows the injury suffered by athlete, Jacob Kiplimo a few weeks before the championships.

Before August 1, when Kiplimo picked up the injury during training, the long-distance runner had been in impressive form. Earlier this year, Kiplimo won gold in Bathurst, Australia at the World Cross-Country Championship.

He followed that up with a second-place finish in the 5,000m race at the Bislett Games in Norway. That is not to forget his exploits at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, where he won gold in both the 5,000m and 10,000 metres. Kiplimo’s consistency was a near-certainty that Uganda would pick up a medal in Budapest, the same way he had done at the World Championships in Oregon last year, where he took bronze.

However, Kiplimo’s injury has placed Uganda in a situation where the nation is metaphorically one medal less. Inevitably, the presence of Joshua Cheptegei will buoy most Ugandans because of his recent record at major international events.

Cheptegei travels to Budapest as a two-time 10,000m world champion, after winning gold in 2019 (Doha) and 2022 (Oregon). Notably, Cheptegei had been out injured until June, when he competed at Wanda Diamond League in Florence, Italy. He finished sixth in the 5,000 metres, which was far off the podium places.

But Cheptegei followed up that disappointment with a second-place finish in Lausanne, Switzerland during the 5,000m race at the sixth Wanda Diamond League meet in late June. That result reverberated with encouragement, and although Cheptegei will undoubtedly have a lot of pressure on him, he will be upbeat about his improved speed and endurance.

The 200m sprinter Tarsis Orogot, 20, has been making headlines over the last one year because of speed. In his last 10 races this year, he has won eight, albeit most being the USA’s National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA) events.

In March, Orogot set a national record of 20.17, but Budapest will provide the sternest of tests for him, as he represents the country for the first time at senior level. Orogot cannot be oblivious of the times set this year by the best 200m runners, Noah Lyles (USA) 19.47 and Letsile Tebogo (Botswana) on 19.50.

Female 800m runner, Halima Nakaayi beat the odds to become a world champion back in 2019, in Doha. However, she has struggled to replicate that exact form since then. She finished 19th at the World Championships in Oregon, USA despite going in as defending champion.

Meanwhile, Nakaayi finished second in her most recent 800 metres race in Poland last month in a time of 1:57.78. That was two seconds behind the fastest time set this year in June by Great Britain’s Keely Hodgkinson. In addition, 24-year-old Peruth Chemutai, who won gold at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics in the 3,000m steeplechase has also suffered a bit of injuries since.

Fortunately, she finished third at Lausanne during the Wanda Diamond League in June in 9:11.91. Peruth’s focus should possibly be on beating Kenya’s Jackline Chepkoech’s 8:57.35 time, which is the best this year. On the other hand,

Prisca Chesang, 20, is one of the new kids on the block, making her mark already in the 1,500, 3,000 and 5000 metres. In March, she won a 10 kilometres race in Australia, to send out a resounding message.

But not any more than 2022 Commonwealth Games hero, Victor Kiplangat, who won the marathon in Birmingham, and wants to follow that up in Budapest.

But it will not be easy for Kiplangat against his training partner, and another long-distance runner, Stephen Kissa. Others on Team Uganda are Sarah Chelangat (5,000m and 10,000m), Stella Chesang (10,000m), and marathoners; Doreen Chesang, Rebecca Cheptegei, and Mercyline Chelangat.