Star showered with praises for donating UGX25m, medal to running mates from Tokyo Olympic games
Uganda’s 5000m Olympic gold medalist Joshua Cheptegei has once again displayed another feat of sportsmanship by donating UGX25m cash prizes given to him by MTN Uganda to his fellow running mates in the Tokyo 2020 games.
MTN today awarded UGX50m to Cheptegei for his gold medal in the 5000m and another UGX25m for the silver medal which he won in the 10,000 metres. His compatriot Jacob Kiplimo received UGX10m for his bronze medal in the 10,000m race.
To the pleasant surprise of everyone, Cheptegei exchanged his UGX25m cheque with Kiplimo’s UGX10m and donated what would have been Kiplimo’s UGX10m to Stephen Kissa.
Stephen Kissa acted as a pace setter in the 10,000 metres, before he dropped out to allow his compatriots Cheptegei and Kiplimo to continue with the race.
Cheptegei’s gesture to Stephen Kissa, who tactfully created an opportunity for his colleagues to win, has attracted enormous joy and gratitude from the online community.
In another feat of camaraderie, Cheptegei donates his gold medal to Stephen Kiprotich, the 2012 Olympic Marathon Champion. In the just concluded Tokyo 2020 Olympic games, Kiprotich failed to finish the race that was won by Kenya’s Eliud Kipchoge.
Cheptegei said he wants is planning to compete in Paris 2024.
