Joshua Cheptegei has won a second gold medal for Uganda at the ongoing #GC2018 Commonwealth games in Australia by winning the men’s 10,000 metre race.
Cheptegei’s Friday victory is made even sweeter by the fact that it’s a new Commonwealth Record which he clinched in just 27:19.62 minutes. It is also the first time in more than 10 years that one Ugandan has won two gold medals.
The 21 year old’s victory brings to 3 the number of Gold medals and Two Bronzes that have been won by Ugandan athletes at the games.
On Monday April 9, Uganda’s Stella Chesang won the Women’s 10,000 metres race, earning Uganda it’s second Gold medal. Mercelyn Chelangat ran alongside Chesang and won Bronze in the 10,000 metre race while Juma Miiro won a bronze in the men’s light weight boxing category.
The outstanding performances by Uganda’s atheletes is the best so far at the Commonwealth games since 1970 when the country scooped six medals with three golds and three silver medals. Back in 1970, five medals were won by boxers and the sixth came from athletics.
Cheptegei has repeated Moses Kipsiro’s double gold win recorded at the 2010 Commonwealth games in Delhi India. Kipsiro also won Gold in the 5000 and 10,000 metres.
Dorcus Inzikuru’s Gold also came while in Australia at the 2006 Melbourne Games where she won the 3000 metre steeplechase race.
The outstanding performance by Ugandan athletes is a huge image boost for a country’s that is so eager to market itself internationally.
