Uganda’s elite long-distance runner, Joshua Cheptegei, is set to grace the field again at the Lausanne Diamond League in Switzerland on Friday.
The event will see Cheptegei competing against a formidable lineup of top-tier athletes, including Ethiopia’s Selemon Barega, Bekele Belihu, and Yomiv Kajelcha, who currently holds the world lead in the 5000m for the 2023 season. Kenya’s Jacob Krop, Martin Kimeli, and Canada’s Ahmad Muhamad are among the other notable participants.
After his fourth-place finish in the first Rome Diamond League, Cheptegei has been diligently training in Kapchorwa under the expert guidance of his Management Coach, Addy Ruiter, and his police club coach, Benjamin Njia.
Expressing confidence in his preparation, the world record holder and Olympic champion attested to the significant improvement in his fitness level through the training program devised by his coaches. Ready to compete against other world-class athletes, this will mark his second race of the season.
Cheptegei, who currently holds the remarkable 5000-meter world record of 12:35.36 achieved at the Herculis-Diamond League, will be Uganda’s sole representative at the Lausanne event, as Jacob Kiplimo declined the invitation.
Additionally, this race holds strategic importance for Cheptegei as he sees it as a crucial stepping stone in his preparations for the highly anticipated World Athletics Championships scheduled for August in Budapest, Hungary.