KAMPALA, UGANDA | Xinhua | World record holder Joshua Kiprui Cheptegei will lead Uganda’s team for the 2024 World Athletics Cross Country Championships which will take place in Belgrade, Serbia on March 30.
Cheptegei, the current 5,000m and 10,000m world record holder, told Xinhua that although they expect a very competitive event, he is confident that team Uganda has what it takes to win gold.
“We are preparing well as a team and I am confident we shall perform well in Serbia,” said Cheptegei, who won the 5,000m gold at the Tokyo Olympic Games.
Besides the team’s captain Cheptegei, Olympic bronze medalist Jacob Kiplimo will be another key runner for Uganda as he goes all out to try and retain gold in the 10km event.
Dominic Otuchet, president of the Uganda Athletics Federation (UAF), told Xinhua that the senior and junior teams have prepared well and should be in position to win medals for the country.
The Ugandan team will face stiff competition from Kenya and Ethiopia. Uganda’s men’s and women’s senior teams both finished third at the previous tournament. ■
