Joshua Cheptegei won the 10,000-metre event at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games. In doing he is the first since Kenenisa Bekele to concurrently hold the world record and the Olympic and World Championships titles.
The Ethiopian contenders pushed the pace early. Cheptegei bided his time before hitting the front with 500m to go, controlling the race for the win.
OLYMPIC CHAMP 🤩
— World Athletics (@WorldAthletics) August 2, 2024
All the glory goes to Uganda as @joshuacheptege1 powers to 10,000m gold in an Olympic record of 26:43.14 ‼️#Paris2024 pic.twitter.com/nnRqTqXmIH
As others challenged, the reigning Olympic 5000m champion held firm. Inspired by the desire to take a maiden Olympic title in the event he has always described as the “special distance”.
Cheptegei paid tribute to all those who made it possible, saying, “I am so excited. It took a lot of courage. It’s really amazing, this one was still missing. Three times world champion, now I can add the Olympic title to this. This one is for my family. Success is not only for me but for my family, my coach, my management. The whole team around me. I couldn’t have done it without them.”
Finishing in second place was Berihu Aregawi from Ethiopia in 26:43.14. Taking third was American Grant Fisher in 26:43.46.
What makes the performance all the more impressive is it comes after perhaps the hardest year of Cheptegei’s career. He was yet to win over any distance after completing the Valencia marathon in December 2023.
In making up for his Tokyo 2021 silver over the same distance it is Uganda’s fifth-ever Olympics gold medal. Adding to his Tokyo 5000m triumph. This certainly proves his long-held belief that Ugandans need not leave their homeland to compete with the planet’s finest.
Cheptegei has for many years trained in his native Kapchorwa, even building a training centre to inspire the next generation of Ugandan athletes. No greater legacy will come than nights like this in the Stade de France.
Cheptegei’s Olympic record led three national records with Thierry Ndikumwenayo of Spain clocking 26:49.49 taking ninth. Adriaan Wildschutt from South Africa set that country’s record at 26:50.64. Jim Gressier from France set the French record in 26:58.67.
Results
POS | Athlete | Nat | Result |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Joshua CHEPTEGEI | UGA | 26:43.14 OR |
2 | Berihu AREGAWI | ETH | 26:43.44 |
3 | Grant FISHER | USA | 26:43.46 SB |
4 | Mohammed AHMED | CAN | 26:43.79 SB |
5 | Benard KIBET | KEN | 26:43.98 PB |
6 | Yomif KEJELCHA | ETH | 26:44.02 |
7 | Selemon BAREGA | ETH | 26:44.48 |
8 | Jacob KIPLIMO | UGA | 26:46.39 SB |
9 | Thierry NDIKUMWENAYO | ESP | 26:49.49 NR |
10 | Adriaan WILDSCHUTT | RSA | 26:50.64 NR |
11 | Daniel MATEIKO | KEN | 26:50.83 |
12 | Nico YOUNG | USA | 26:58.11 |
13 | Jimmy GRESSIER | FRA | 26:58.67 NR |
14 | Nicholas KIPKORIR | KEN | 27:23.97 |
15 | Merhawi MEBRAHTU | ERI | 27:24.25 |
16 | William KINCAID | USA | 27:29.40 |
17 | Birhanu BALEW | BRN | 27:30.94 SB |
18 | Jamal Abdelmaji EISA MOHAMMED | EOR | 27:35.92 PB |
19 | Isaac KIMELI | BEL | 27:51.52 |
20 | Jun KASAI | JPN | 27:53.18 |
21 | Yves NIMUBONA | RWA | 27:54.12 PB |
22 | Martin Magengo KIPROTICH | UGA | 28:20.72 PB |
23 | Abdessamad OUKHELFEN | ESP | 28:21.90 |
24 | Tomoki OTA | JPN | 29:12.48 |