Prime
With an Olympic gold in the bag, Chemutai now chases world title
Peruth Chemutai (627) during the Africa Games Steeplechase 3000m finals in Accra, Ghana. PHOTO/JOHN BATANUDDE
What you need to know:
The Olympic champion, Chemutai, says that while her 3000m steeplechase gold at Tokyo 2020 surprised many, it wasn’t a shock to her. Also a silver medalist at Paris 2024 Games, She now wants to sort the ‘small matter’ of becoming a world champion
On a historic Sunday afternoon in August 2012, Stephen Kiprotich surged ahead in the final stretch of the London Olympics marathon, pulling away from his Kenyan rivals.
As he - sharing a gleeful smile with the world - crossed the finish line, arms raised in triumph, Uganda had its first Olympic gold in 40 years.
Thousands of miles away in Bukwo District, Eastern Uganda, a young Peruth Chemutai sat watching, her eyes fixed on the screen. Something clicked. Right there, she told her father she wanted to run.
“I watched at home and immediately told Dad that I wanted to run. I think I was around 12 or 13 years old,” Chemutai told the Daily Monitor after her training at Chemwania Ground in Kween District, Sebei region.
The field was awash with superstars that morning, with Jacob Kiplimo and Victor Kiplangat among the top names training there on the day.
History maker
Fast forward to Tokyo 2020, and Chemutai did more than just run - she won Uganda’s first-ever Olympic gold in women’s athletics.
In the 3,000m steeplechase final, she stormed past the field, leaving Courtney Frerichs of the USA and Hyvin Kiyeng of Kenya trailing behind. The world was stunned. But she wasn’t.
“I was well prepared for Tokyo,” Chemutai, now changed from her running shorts and top into a black tracksuit, explained under a blistering midmorning sun. “I had visualized myself winning gold many times.
“I thank my coaches Addy Ruiter and Benjamin Njia. We prepared well, and for us, it was not a surprise to win in Tokyo.”
In doing that, Chemutai changed history forever, becoming the first Ugandan woman to win an Olympic gold medal. John Akii-Bua was the first Ugandan to achieve that feat when he stormed to the finish line in the 400m hurdles in 1972 in Munich.
Stephen Kiprotich (marathon) at London 2012 and Joshua Cheptegei at Tokyo 2020 (5000m) and Paris 2024 (10,000m), as well as Chemutai’s Tokyo triumph, have Uganda at five Olympic gold medals.
But the journey to Olympic glory wasn’t straightforward. Chemutai’s father initially insisted she focus only on school, reluctant to let her pursue running seriously. Yet, the determined young girl refused to let go of her dream.
“Of course, Dad wanted me to focus on school first. He thought if I put everything into running, I would fail in education. But in 2013, both Mum and Dad relented and said I could do my running and still study.”
Chemutai took up running in 2013 after attending the District Athletics Championships in Bukwo as a casual fan. She never looked back.
Chilling with the big boys
Her breakthrough came in 2015 when she moved to Kapchorwa District to train alongside Uganda’s finest, including Cheptegei and Kiplimo. The transition from a small village in Bukwo to an elite training camp was a game-changer.
“I wanted to train and be with Kiplimo and Cheptegei,” she said.
She now lives that dream every day, running under Global Sports Communication alongside Cheptegei, with all three endorsed by Nike. Kiplimo, however, is represented by the Italian agency Rosa Associati.
After storming to Olympic gold at the Tokyo 2020 Games, all that was on her mind was speaking to her loved ones back home.
“I called my husband to share the good news. I also spoke to Mum and Dad, and they cried with me. Dad always cries after my wins,” Chemutai, a glitter emerging in her eyes, narrated.
“They always cry - Dad and Mum. I think they cry out of happiness and because they know the story. They have supported me every step of the way.”
Paris setback setup for a comeback
At the Paris 2024 Olympics, Chemutai came agonizingly close to defending her title but settled for silver.
While many, including Chemutai herself, were disappointed, the 25-year-old sees it differently.
“Of course, I was also disappointed, but hey, I was number two. I would have loved to win, but this was not too bad, too. It only renewed my hunger to come back, train harder, and go back for more.”
And that “coming back for more” has immediate targets, with several Wanda Diamond League Meetings in between before the ultimate World Athletics Championships in September 13-21, 2025, in Tokyo - her familiar ground.
“That world title is fully on my mind. Everything between now and then is a step towards that,” Chemutai emphasised.
“It’s a new season, and I need to start well. There might be more but now I am looking at the Diamond League meetings in Doha (May 25), Paris (June 20), and the USA (July 5).
“But at the end of it all, I really need the World Championship title. I have Olympic gold, silver - now I need a world title to seal the two major events. I still have time on my hands, and I can achieve a lot in the next five to 10 years.
“And then after that, I can think of the marathon. For now, I’ll take it one step at a time.”
Chemuati embraces her moment in Japan.
More support for girls
More than that, Chemutai hopes her success will encourage more Ugandan girls to take up athletics.
“The truth is, we are few girls. For example, in steeplechase, I look around and I’m the only one. But generally, we need more girls to take up the sport and all stakeholders to push us.”
Her concern for women’s welfare extends beyond the track. The tragic death of her close friend, Rebecca Cheptegei - who succumbed to her wounds after being set ablaze by her partner late last year - has left a lasting impact on her.
“I was with her in Paris, and to just wake up and she was gone - it was very painful,” Chemutai said, her voice softening. “It’s still very painful. Awareness is ongoing, but we need more action, both from the government and even ourselves.”
Chemutai might have made it against the odds, but the road to glory was never without obstacles. Injuries have tested her resilience, and one in particular had her deeply worried.
“This particular one kept me out for three years, but I came out stronger, and success followed,” she reflected.
Chemutai received a car for her efforts from President Museveni.
Bukwo needs training facilities
On top of receiving a monthly government stipend of Shs5 million for her Olympic gold, Chemutai was also awarded a car upon her Tokyo triumph.
She is grateful to President Museveni’s government but insists more support is needed for female athletes - especially in terms of training facilities.
Hurdles are a key part of her 3000m steeplechase discipline, yet access remains a challenge outside Kapchorwa.
“In Bukwo, for example (some 65km from Kapchorwa) they don’t even have a ground with a worthy running track,” she pointed out.
“I have all I need to train, including hurdles at the Kiprotich High Altitude Training Centre in Kapchorwa and even at home, but Bukwo needs urgent help. Otherwise, it remains hard for youngsters there.”
“We need more training facilities. We have a lot of talent - it just needs the right environment to flourish.”
Yet, if her journey has shown anything, it’s that Peruth Chemutai is a fighter.
From a schoolgirl in Bukwo dreaming in front of a TV screen to an Olympic champion, she has proven that with determination, anything is possible.
Now, she is chasing the world title. And she won’t stop until she gets it.
Peruth Chemutai fact file
Name: Peruth Chemutai
DOB: July 10, 1999
POB: Bukwo
Event: 3000m Steeplechase
Country: Uganda
Representative: Global Sports Communication
Chemutai’s medal table
Olympic Games
Gold medal at Tokyo 2020, 3000m steeplechase
Silver medal at Paris 2024, 3000m steeplechase
Commonwealth Games
Bronze medal at Birmingham 2022, 3000m steeplechase
African Games
Silver medal at 2023 Accra 2023, 3000m steeplechase
World U20 Championships
Silver medal at Tampere 2028, 3000m steeplechase
Current world ranking
Women's 3000m Steeplechase
No. 2
Women's overall ranking
No. 12 out of 1467
Personal bests
August 30, 2024: 8:48.03, 3000m steeplechase, NR, Roma, Italy
March 20, 2022: 15.05, 5km road, Lille, France
May 29, 2016: 4:17.18, 1500m, Oordegem, Belgium
Chemutai’s progression
800 metres
June 1, 2019: 2:09.25, Kampala, Uganda
1500 metres
Sept 7, 2015: 4:18.22, Apia, Samoa
May 29, 2016: 4:17.18, Oordegem, Belgium
March 3, 2018: 4:28.09, Kampala, Uganda
3000 metres
Sept 9, 2015: 9:20.20, Apia, Samoa
June 18, 2017: 9:13.09, Stockholm, Sweden
May 22, 2021: 9:12.60, Kampala, Uganda
5000 metres
May 30, 2015: 17:40.00, Kampala, Uganda
3000 metres steeplechase
July 18, 2015: 10:19.93, Kampala, Uganda
August 13, 2016: 9:31.03, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
May 13, 2017: 9:27.72, Shanghai, China
July 20, 2018: 9:07.94, Monaco, Frace
Sept 30, 2019: 9:11.08, Doha, Qatar
Oct 3, 2020: 9:53.75, Nairobi, Kenya
Aug 4, 2021: 9:01.45, Tokyo, Japan
May 28, 2022: 9:05.54, Eugene, USA
Aug 27, 2023: 9:10.26, Budapest, Hungary
Aug 30, 2024: 8:48.03, Roma, Italy
5 kilometres road
March 20, 2022: 15:05, Lille, France
March 19, 2023: 15:12, Lille, France
10 kilometres road
Nov 22, 2015: 34:50, Kampala, Uganda
Nov 19, 2017: 34:12, Kampala, Uganda
Nov 25, 2018: 35:00, Kampala, Uganda
