Uganda's Kiplimo excites fans as he bags gold
What you need to know:
- A member of the Sebei ethnic group, Kiplimo who was born in November 2000 grew up in Bukwo on Mount Elgon, living at high altitude.
- At the age of fifteen, he won the 10,000 metres bronze medal at the 2016 IAAF World U20 Championships behind fellow East Africans Rodgers Kwemoi and Aron Kifle.
Ugandan long-distance runner Jacob Kiplimo on Sunday excited Ugandans as he took lead in the World Cross Country men's junior 8km race.
The 16 year-old won a gold medal in the third race raising hopes of Ugandans that had been thwarted following a poor performance in the first two races that saw Uganda trail in the fourth and eighth positions.
Who is Kiplimo
He represented Uganda at the 2016 Summer Olympics.
A member of the Sebei ethnic group, Kiplimo who was born in November 2000 grew up in Bukwo on Mount Elgon, living at high altitude.
At the age of fifteen, he won the 10,000 metres bronze medal at the 2016 IAAF World U20 Championships behind fellow East Africans Rodgers Kwemoi and Aron Kifle. Of as much importance as that placing was his time of 13:24:40 minutes for the 5000 metres in Rome that May. That was enough to reach the Olympic standard and gain selection for Uganda at the 2016 Summer Olympics. As a result he became the youngest ever Olympian for Uganda.
Prior to the 2016 Rio Olympics, he improved his 5000 m best further to 13:19.54 minutes. The youngest entrant to the competition he ran in the Olympic heats only, recording a time of 13:30.40 minutes for eleventh in his race.