Gold rush for Chemutai, Chelimo

BUDAPEST, HUNGARY. It feels like the 19th World Athletics Championships only began yesterday yet tonight, this 19th edition of the biennial global showpiece will wrap up. How time flies!

Team Uganda’s 20-man by Friday night had only secured just one medal - Joshua Cheptegei’s 10000m gold - since action began on August 19 at the National Athletics Centre.

More medals?

There is a lot of optimism that that tally could be improved as the Worlds wrap up in the Hungarian capital on Sunday.

On track, there is hope too. Oscar Chelimo is hoping to earn the podium finish once again in the men’s 5000m final whereas Olympic champion Peruth Chemutai is aiming for similar delight in the women’s 3000m steeplechase final.

First, let’s do Chelimo. His half-brother Jacob Kiplimo missed the Worlds due to injury while Cheptegei opted out of the 5000m due to a foot problem.

And all of a sudden, Chelimo is the sole ranger for silverware in the 12-and-half-lap race. The 21-year-old ran a calculated race to finish fifth in a time of 13 minutes and 33.40 seconds in Heat 2 on Thursday night.

“The race was okay, it was very competitive,” said Chelimo, “I know the final is going to be competitive, I know the guys who qualified but the World Championship is not about time only.”

Chelimo wants more

Chelimo won 5000m bronze at the Oregon Worlds in the USA last year after a strong kick to come from position nine with 200m to go at the Hayward Field in Eugene.

Yet, his season this year suffered a major set-back with a right knee injury. He only competed at the Spitzen Leichathletik Meeting in Luzern, Switzerland last month.

In a strong 17-man field comprising reigning champion Norwegian Jakob Ingebrigtsen, world silver medallist Kenyan Jakob Krop, in-form Ethiopians Hagos Gebrhiwet, Yomif Kejelcha and Berihu Aregawi, Spaniard Mohammed Katir and Guatemalan Luis Grijalva, Chelimo faces an uphill task.

Yet, he has plans to improve his performance. “The plan for Sunday (today) is more than Eugene. Maybe they will set the pace over 12:50 minutes but we will go with that pace. I did a good training and I have prepared for it.”

“Their (field) target is to run fast but they do not know somebody’s body. The final 1000m will be important for the medal,” added Chelimo.

Ending in style

Chemutai will then close Uganda’s curtains here in Budapest in the water-jump race final. She qualified after controlling Heat 2 and posting 9:20.03 in third place.

Chemutai last year struggled with a bacterial infection and finished a distant 11th in the final in Eugene. She then stepped over the barrier poorly with 600m to go and fell down before Jackline Chepkoech peeled away from her to win Commonwealth gold in Birmingham, England.

This time, Chemutai has shaken off illness and feels ready for the task at hand. The 24-year-old is looking to add the world title to her name and thereby emulate Dorcus Inzikuru who claimed the inaugural gold at the Helsinki 2005 edition in Finland.

“I was the last person to qualify for the World Championships but I am ready for the final,” said Chemutai. “The body is good, feeling okay. Many are strong but I will make it for any medal. The target is a medal,” she added.

Chemutai will compete in a field which has world record holder Kenyan Beatrice Chepkoech, Kenyan-born Bahraini Winfred Mutile and the Ethiopians Sembo Almayew, Lomi Muleta and Zerfe Wondemagegn.

BUDAPEST WORLD ATHLETICS CHAMPIONSHIPS

DAY NINE - UGANDANS IN ACTION TODAY

9.20pm: Oscar Chelimo (Men’s 5000m Final)

9.45pm: Women’s 800m Final

10.05pm: Peruth Chemutai (Women’s 3000m Steeplechase Final)