Cheptegei doubt, Chelimo focused
Cheptegei has pain under his foot. PHOTO/AFP
What you need to know:
Chelimo, 21, has only competed once on track this season, finishing sixth at the Spitzen Leichathletik Meeting in Luzern, Switzerland last month.
BUDAPEST, HUNGARY. Joshua Cheptegei decimated all the pressure to secure his third straight 10000m title at the World Athletics Championships on Sunday.
Since then, it has been clear whether he will compete over the long-distance double here in the Hungarian capital. The men’s 5000m starts on Thursday and Cheptegei is entered in Heat 1.
However, he remains a doubt for the 12-and-a-half-lap contest. “He will first see how the body is recovering,” said his coach Addy Ruiter.
“He is having a little injury under his foot. It was already there in the last few weeks,” he added.
Cheptegei attempted to compete over the double at the Oregon Worlds in Eugene, USA last year and he finished ninth over the 5000m final at the Hayward Field.
After that race, the Olympic 5000m champion Cheptegei picked up a hamstring problem which impacted the rest of his season. With a move for safety first, it is likely that only Oscar Chelimo will race tonight.
The 5000m bronze medallist from Eugene is entered in Heat 2. “I am more than ready,” said Chelimo. “I prepared for it.”
Chelimo, 21, has only competed once on track this season, finishing sixth at the Spitzen Leichathletik Meeting in Luzern, Switzerland last month.
Three months ago, he had suffered a troublesome knee problem on the right leg which affected his preparations but he has recovered in time.
“The body is okay now. My target is to qualify for the final then after I qualify, then I will see why I qualified,” with a smile, Chelimo added.
To earn a place in Sunday’s final, Chelimo will need to finish among the top eight in a field of 22 men which has Kenyan Jacob Krop - silver medalist from Eugene, tough Ethiopians Berihu Aregawi and Yomif Kejelcha as well as Canadian Mohammed Ahmed.
BUDAPEST WORLD ATHLETICS CHAMPIONSHIPS
DAY SIX - UGANDANS IN ACTION THURSDAY
8pm: Joshua Cheptegei (Men’s 5000m Heat 1)
8.21pm: Oscar Chelimo (Men’s 5000m Heat 2)
9.20pm: Tarsis Orogot (Men’s 200m Semi-Final Heat 1)
DAY SEVEN - FRIDAY
9:45pm: Halimah Nakaayi (Women’s 800m Semi-Final Heat 3)
10.50pm: Men’s 200m Final
DAY EIGHT - SATURDAY
8am: Doreen Chesang, Mercyline Chelangat, Rebecca Cheptegei (Women’s Marathon Final)
9.50pm: Women’s 5000m Final
DAY NINE - SUNDAY
8am: Stephen Kissa, Victor Kiplangat, Andrew Kwemoi (Men’s Marathon Final)
9.20pm: Men’s 5000m Final
9.45pm: Women’s 800m Final
10.05pm: Women’s 3000m Steeplechase Final
