Oregon 2022 titbits: Minister Obua cheers on Cheptegei
Joshua Cheptegei of Team Uganda celebrates after winning gold in the Men's 10,000m Final on day three of the World Athletics Championships Oregon22 at Hayward Field on July 17, 2022 in Eugene, Oregon. PHOTO/AFP
What you need to know:
- USA is hosting this championship for the first time and they came up with Legend the Bigfoot as the official mascot.
It is true Ugandans move on quickly but Joshua Cheptegei’s sequential triumphs are still finding way into conversations at a clubhouse, inside popular bars or at one’s favourite’s boda boda stage.
Cheptegei successfully defended his 10000m world title at the Hayward Field on Sunday in presence of sports minister Hamson Obua. Obua flew into Oregon State together with National Council of Sports general secretary Dr Patrick Ogwel in time for Uganda’s top moment.
They sat in the VIP section with World Athletics Council Member Beatrice Ayikoru and jumped on their feet in celebration as Cheptegei powered through the home stretch.
Stubborn mascot Legend
USA is hosting this championship for the first time and they came up with Legend the Bigfoot as the official mascot. Legend is a creation from the concept that captures the natural beauty, culture, uniqueness and love of sport by the Pacific Northwest. Also, there has also been a legend of a mysterious creature roaming the region that came to be known as ‘Bigfoot’.
As anticipated, Legend is quite stubborn. The largely yellow figure has admirable energy, often runs to event winners for selfies, gives fist bumps to officials and rallies on fans. On Saturday, Legend got cheeky with the stadium announcer and started playing with the small water pool which is used for the 3000m steeplechase race.
Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce of Team Jamaica celebrates with mascot, Legend, after winning gold the Women's 100m Final on day three of the World Athletics Championships Oregon22 at Hayward Field on July 17, 2022 in Eugene, Oregon. PHOTO/AFP
His adrenaline ran high and he stood atop the barrier in awe only to mis-step, falling onto it but narrowly survived a free shower.
Fraser-Pryce standout hair
At every championship, Jamaican sprinter Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce is known for two things; the results and her hair. She changes her look every competition day, something the fans adore.
On Saturday, the reigning 100m world champion started her title in Heat 2 with a purple wig en route to winning in 10.87 seconds. On Sunday, Fraser-Pryce came out with a yellow, green and black wig, akin to her country’s colours and won her fifth world 100m title, leading first-ever clean sweep in the event as Shericka Jackson and Olympic champion Elanie Thompson-Herah followed. It was the talk of the evening session at Hayward.
