Uganda lives in Kenya, Ethiopia’s shadows in Riga

Team Uganda took invaluable lessons but also faced a reality check after the contingent of 14 runners departed Latvian capital Riga empty-handed following the inaugural World Athletics Road Running Championships at the weekend.

The East African nation has enjoyed plenty of success at major championships over the past decade or thereabouts after exploits from Halimah Nakaayi, Peruth Chemutai, Solomon Mutai and the more consistent duo of Jacob Kiplimo and Joshua Cheptegei.

With Kiplimo and Cheptegei absent on Sunday, Uganda was far from the podium across six different races over the road mile, 5km and 21km of the championship which replaced the defunct World Athletics Half-Marathon Championships.

Double Commonwealth champion and half-marathon world record (WR) holder Kiplimo opted out of the trip to Riga after he opted to pace the field at the Berlin Marathon in Germany a week before.

Now, perhaps, with Kiplimo quietly lining up a full marathon debut and three-time 10000m world champion Cheptegei set to do the same at the Valencia Marathon in Spain on December 3, a big vacuum could be felt for the country at the forthcoming championships.

Like the way Moses Kipsiro and Stephen Kiprotich found ‘successors’ in Cheptegei and then Kiplimo, Riga showed early that the latter pair urgently needs the same too.

Uganda’s best individual finisher in Riga was Joy Cheptoyek who stuck with the front five before finishing sixth in the women’s 5km race.

Cheptoyek posted a new national record time of 14 minutes and 50 seconds while Beatrice Chebet led Kenya 1-2 with Lilian Rengeruk in second place.

World Cross-country champion Chebet won in a championship record (CR) of 14:35, thereby offsetting Kenya to a successful day with a total 12 medals.

Besides Cheptoyek, no other Ugandan had a top 10 placing but the quartet of Abel Chebet in 18th, two and three places ahead of Ali Chebures and Milan Marathon winner Andrew Kwemoi in turn while Hosea Kiplangat came in 35th place, were beaten by South Africa by a margin of 76 seconds to the team bronze medal in the men’s 21km event.

Aside from the men’s 5km race won by Hagos Gebrhiwet ahead of Ethiopian counterpart Yomif Kejelcha and the road mile races where Ethiopian Diribe Welteji and American Hobbs Kessler posted new WRs of 4:20.98 and 3:56.13 respectively, Kenyan won all other races.

In the 21km, Peres Jepchirchir claimed her third title and led a podium sweep for Kenya in a CR time of 1:07:25 ahead of Margaret Kipkemboi and Reline Amanang’ole.

Kenyan men did the same with Sabastian Sawe posting a CR time of 59:10 to beat compatriot Daniel Ebenyo and Samwel Mailu in the home straight.

2023 WORLD ATHLETICS ROAD RUNNING CHAMPIONSHIPS

WOMEN’S 21KM

1 Peres Jepchirchir (KEN)                  1:07:25

2 Margaret Kipkemboi (KEN)            1:07:26

3 Reline Amanang'ole (KEN)             1:07:34

16 Annet Chemengich (UGA)          1:10:16

19 Belinda Chemutai (UGA)            1:10:40

MEN’S 21KM

1 Sabastian Sawe (KEN)                    59:10

2 Daniel Ebenyo (KEN)                     59:14

3 Samwel Mailu (KEN)                      59:19

18 Abel Chebet (UGA)                     1:01:09

20 Ali Chebures (UGA)                    1:01:22

21 Andrew Kwemoi (UGA)             1:01:25

35 Hosea Kiplangat (UGA)              1:02:02

WOMEN’S 5KM

1 Beatrice Chebet (KEN)                   14:35

2 Lilian Rengeruk (KEN)                   14:39

3 Ejgayehu Taye (ETH)                      14:40

6 Joy Cheptoyek (UGA)                   14:50

23 Peruth Chemutai (UGA)             16:09

MEN’S 5KM

1 Hagos Gebrhiwet (ETH)                  12:59

2 Yomif Kejelcha (ETH)                    13:02

3 Nicholas Kipkorir (KEN)                 13:16

16 Leonard Chemutai (UGA)          13:36

34 Dismas Yeko (UGA)                    14:09

WOMEN’S ROAD MILE

1 Diribe Welteji (ETH)                       4:20.98

2 Freweyni Hailu (ETH)                     4:23.06

3 Faith Kipyegon (KEN)                    4:24.13

18 Prisca Chesang (UGA)                4:45.42

DNF Winnie Nanyondo (UGA)       DNF

MEN’S ROAD MILE

1 Hobbs Kessler (USA)                      3:56.13

2 Callum Elson (GBR)                        3:56.41

3 Samuel Prakel (USA)                       3:56.43

14 Salim Mayanja (UGA)                 4:00.72

15 Keneth Kiprop (UGA)                4:00.77