Uganda’s steeplechase runner Peruth Chemutai is just one race away from becoming the first woman to win Uganda an Olympic medal.
Chemutai will be fighting to accommodate several thoughts of what her exploits will yield as she heads for the 3000m steeplechase final today in Tokyo at 2pm. In 2016 Olympics in Rio, she failed to make it to the final of the same event.
She qualified for the Women’s 3000m Steeplechase final at the Tokyo Olympics on Sunday, running a Season Best 9:12.72.
In the 2015 Commonwealth Youth Games in Samoa, the 22-year-old won two silver medals.
With this being like a race of her life, Chemutai needs to pick some tricks from Dorcus Inzikuru who has been at this stage before, she won the inaugural world title in women’s 3000 m steeplechase, as well as the first Commonwealth title in the event.
While on the track Chemutai will have to watch out for Kenyan duo Beatrice Chepkoech and Hyvin Kiyeng plus Winfred Mutile Yavi of Bahrain, Mekides Abebe of Ethiopia, Courtney Frerichs of the USA and Germany’s Felicitas Gesa Krause.
Chemutai who is currently ranked number 10, is the seventh fastest of the 16 finalists for today’s women’s 3000m steeplechase final.
Winnie Nanyondo is another Ugandan athlete in action today at 1:12pm in heat two of the Women’s 1500m semifinal. Nanyondo who featured at Rio 2016, is also eyeing her first final at the Olympic Games.