Cheptegei run attracts over 800

Tapping talents. Cheptegei (centre) prepares to flag off the youngsters during the run in Kapchorwa on December 13, 2021. PHOTO/MICHAEL WONIALA

What you need to know:

  • Benjamin Njia, national athletics coach and the Foundation sports coordinator, attended the event along with the Uganda Athletics Federatuon administrator Peter Chelangat.

The Joshua Cheptegei Annual Christmas children’s run has continued to grow by leaps and bounds over the past years. This year’s edition, the fourth, attracted over 800 runners from across Sebei and Bugisu sub-regions.
The annual children’s run, which was organized under the Joshua Cheptegei Development Foundation, led by distance global star Joshua Cheptegei. 
The aim is  to identify and tap talent, create awareness on Gender-Based Violence (GBV), end Female Gential Mutilation (FGM ) and encourage young  children to stay at school.

The children ran 3km across Kapchorwa municipality and finished at Boma grounds on Sunday.
Categories included under 10, 12,14 in both boys and girls and winners walked away with a scholarship to Joshua Cheptegei Junior School, scholastic materials,hampers, among others prizes. 
The run was sponsored by Joshua Cheptegei Development Foundation, Nike, MTN, Total Energies, Stanbic Bank, among other partners.

Stanbic also donated Shs50 million toward the foundation.
“We have so many people who are talented but don’t have an opportunity to showcase talent. They don’t have facilities, shoes or the right attire. This is the gap we want to bridge,” Cheptegei said. 
“I see this run raising the next generation of world champions and record breakers. People who are inspired to go and attack life challenges, people who have positive minds. 

“Tomorrow we need people who will take the baton from us. As the president, I can rightly say, we are headed in the right direction,” he added. 
Government support
The next ambition is to push ahead with the fundraising for the Joshua Cheptegei Training Centre. 
“We have not yet achieved what we wanted but whatever we have received, we are grateful to the partners, corporate companies,” he explained. 

Benjamin Njia, national athletics coach and the Foundation sports coordinator, attended the event along with the Uganda Athletics Federatuon administrator Peter Chelangat. 
Tom Chesol, the Kapchorwa resident district commissioners, called on the government to support district sport offices to tap talent.
“Most of the offices of sports officers are redundant with no budget. The government should think about capacity building through providing a budget for these offices,” Chesol said.
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