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Joshua Cheptegei and Jacob Kiplimo, Uganda’s medal hopes in the distance events, will not compete in the 5000m race at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. The Uganda Athletics Federation confirmed their withdrawal due to exhaustion following the 10,000m race.
Head Coach Faustino Kiwa stated that both athletes were unable to recover in time for the 5000m preliminaries scheduled for Wednesday, August 7th.
“I wish to inform Ugandans that our heroes Joshua Cheptegei and Jacob Kiplimo have been officially withdrawn from the 5,000m race due on Wednesday, 7th August 2024. This follows their failure to fully recover from the grueling 10,000m race in which both athletes competed on Friday, 2nd August 2024,” Kiwa said in a statement.
“The event left them fatigued with leg and arm muscle pains. Efforts by the physio teams to resuscitate the athletes to their full normal form have not been successful. The coaching staff, in consultation with the athletes, taking into consideration the coaching principle ‘athlete first, winning second,’ decided to withdraw them from the 5,000m to give them ample time to fully recover,” Kiwa continued in his statement.
This is a significant setback for Team Uganda, as fans had high hopes for Cheptegei, the defending champion, and Kiplimo to secure medals in the 5,000m. Oscar Chelimo now stands as Uganda’s sole representative in the event.
With Cheptegei and Kiplimo out, Uganda’s hopes rest on Chelimo, Kiplimo’s cousin. Chelimo arrived at the Olympic Village on Sunday exclusively for the 5,000m.
Chelimo has a chance to make a significant impact, similar to his bronze medal performance at the 2022 World Athletics Championships in Eugene, Oregon, where he overcame a tough field and surpassed an injured Cheptegei.
Chelimo surged past eleven athletes in the final 400 meters at the World Championships to secure his medal.
However, during the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games, Chelimo finished last in the 5,000m final despite previously finishing fourth in his semi-final heat.
Chelimo will run his 5,000m heat tomorrow, Wednesday, August 7, at 11:30 CET (5:30 EST).
