Jacob Kiplimo, on Sunday gave Ugandans an excuse to party after he won a gold medal at the World Cross Country Championships.
The teenager put up a spirited show hitting the finish line in 22.40 minutes to secure gold at Kololo in Kampala on Sunday at the 2017 IAAF World Cross Country Championships.
Ethiopia’s Amdework Walelegn followed in tow taking silver while Kenya’s Kimunyan settled for bronze.
The race started off with participants from Kenya, Ethiopia and Eritrea and Turkey among other countries.
Yemane Haileselassie of Eritrea raced in the lead through the first lap followed by Kenyan runners and Solomon Berihu of Ethiopia.
However, Amos Kirui of Kenya later squeezed into the lead followed by Kiplimo.
As the race wore on, Kiplimo, a world U20 10,000m bronze medallist, opened up a gulf of distance along with Kenya’s Kirui.
The race soon transformed into a four-man race after Berihu and Kenyan Cross Country U20 champion Richard Kimunyan caught up with Kiplimo and Kirui but Kiplimo raced ahead drawing energy from the buoyant home crowd.
Kiplimo stretched the lead further and eventually broke off from other runners before hitting the finish line.
