Kiplimo, Nanyondo up against Kenyan, Ethiopian top athletes in Ostrava Meet

Joshua Cheptegei is the name that easily comes to one’s mind when one mention Uganda and athletics today.
The long-distance runner has elevated his profile high enough with three world records (WR) in nine months to add to last year’s 5000m Diamond League (DL) trophy, the World Cross-country title and the world 10000m gold.

But before all that, it is teenager Jacob Kiplimo who was in everyone’s face after dominating the track prior to the World Cross-country Championships in Aarhus, Denmark, in March last year.
After picking senior men’s 10km silver behind Cheptegei in Aarhus, Kiplimo’s season ended prematurely as he suffered with a tibialis anterior muscle problem.

He consequently missed the DL Meetings in Eugene (US), Rome (Italy) and London (England) before pulling out of the Doha World Championships.
Kiplimo returned as a pace-setter for Kenyan Eliud Kipchoge’s historic sub-two-hour mark for the marathon at the INEOS 1:59 Challenge in October last year. He also came second at the 95th San Silvestre de Sao Paulo Road Race in Brazil on New Year’s Eve.

Tonight, Kiplimo will compete on track for the first time in almost 26 months when he lines up for the men’s 5000m event at the 59th Ostrava Golden Spike Meet in Czech Republic.

“Jacob is fine. Of course, not easy to race after a long time,” Beppe Picotti, one of his managers, told this paper.
The 19-year-old has not raced on track since finishing sixth with 13mins, 23.35secs in the 5000m final at the World Junior Championships in Finland on July 14, 2018.
But he feels ready to compete in a 14-man field at the Mestsky Stadium comprising four pacemakers and race favourite Ethiopian Selemon Barega.
“I am good,” Kiplimo said. And ready? “Yes,” he added.

With world silver medallist Barega out to break meet record of 12mins, 48.81secs set by Kenyan-born Qatari Saif Shaheen in 2003, it is expected to be a fast race.
Kiplimo is hoping to get out of the blocks with a time better than his personal best (PB) of 13mins,13.64secs and as well beat the Tokyo Olympics qualifying mark of 13mins, 13.50secs.
“This race looks like it will be fast under 13 (minutes),” added Picotti.

Barega has the best PB in the field at 12mins, 43.02secs and Italian Yemaneberhan Crippa is the closest with 13mins, 07.84secs.
Another Ugandan at the Meeting is Winnie Nanyondo, who will aim for a new PB, too, over the 1500m.
“Maybe to run my PB (3mins, 59.56secs) but I’m not 100 per cent fit. I’m going to do my best,” said the national record holder Nanyondo.
She will be buoyed by a fast field where WR holder Ethiopian Genzebe Dibaba faces off with world champion Kenyan Faith Kipyegon.
“It’s a strong field and yes, Faith is in a very good shape,” said Nanyondo’s coach Addy Ruiter.

At a glance

Winnie Nanyondo

Born. August 23, 1993
Major races. 800m, 1500m
Coach. Addy Ruiter
PB. 1:58.63 (800m), 3:59.56 (1500m)
Kit Sponsor. Nike
Manager. Valentijn Trouw

Jacob Kiplimo

Born. November 14, 2000
Major events. 5000m, 10000m
Coach. Guisseppe Gambrone
PB. 13:13.64 (5000m), 27:26.6 (10000m)
Manager. Federico Rosa
Management. Rosa Associati