Cheptegei Breaks Olympic Record, Secures Gold

The track was arguably the most remarkable event in the Olympic Games as it featured the reigning Olympic champion, reigning world champion, and current world record holder.

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Olympics
Joshua Cheptegei celebrating after wining the 10,000-meter Olympic Gold in Stade de France. Courtesy photo

Joshua Cheptegei has won the 10,000-meter Olympic Gold in Stade de France and in emphatic style. The Uganda sensational set a new Olympic record time of 26:43.14 to dethrone Ethiopia’s Selemon Barega, who came in second place on August 2, 2024, in Paris, France.

Olympic games
Joshua Cheptegei beginning to celebrate his lead as he approaches the finishing line. Courtesy photo

Berihu Aregawi of Ethiopia won the silver medal, finishing just 0.3 seconds behind Cheptegei. Grant Fisher of the USA secured the bronze medal, coming in 0.02 seconds behind the silver.

This is the country’s first gold medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Cheptegei has definitely cemented his legacy as Uganda’s top long-distance runner, with an outstanding career to date.

Joshua in the lead. Courtesy photo

The track was arguably the most remarkable event in the Olympic Games as it featured the reigning Olympic champion, reigning world champion, and current world record holder. The top 13 finishers all completed the race in times faster than the previous Olympic record, which had stood since 2008 until Friday night, making the competition exceptionally swift.

Cheptegei’s teammates Jacob Kiplimo and Martin Kiprotich also participated in the track event, but unfortunately, they did not secure spots on the medal podium.