In a thrilling showdown at the Stade de France, Uganda’s Joshua Cheptegei defied a relentless onslaught from the Ethiopian team to clinch the gold medal in the men’s 10,000 meters at the Paris Olympics on Friday 2nd August 2024.
The three-time world champion set an Olympic record with a time of 26 minutes and 43.14 seconds, securing his place in history on Friday.
Ethiopia’s Berihu Aregawi narrowly edged out American Grant Fisher by two-hundredths of a second to take silver, finishing in 26:43.44. Cheptegei's remarkable performance adds the Olympic 10,000-metre title to his impressive collection, which includes a silver in Tokyo and a gold in the 5,000 metres.
The race was intense from the start, with a strong Ethiopian front-running group, including defending champion Selemon Barega and Yomif Kejelcha, setting a blistering pace. The field of 25 runners quickly spread out, yet all competitors managed to stay in the race. Cheptegei and his teammate Jacob Kiplimo faced a setback when Martin Magengo Kiprotich fell off the pace early on.
As the race progressed, Aregawi and Kejelcha took turns pushing the tempo, maintaining a lead that challenged the stamina and strategy of their rivals. Despite the Ethiopians’ tactical prowess, Cheptegei remained poised and ready to strike.
With 10 laps remaining, the lead pack had narrowed to 15 runners, with Mohammed Ahmed of Canada and Benard Kibet of Kenya positioning themselves strategically. The decisive moment came as the final kilometre approached; Aregawi surged ahead, but Cheptegei made his move just before the bell rang for the last lap.
In a dramatic sprint to the finish, Cheptegei surged to the front, holding off his competitors to secure victory. Ahmed and Fisher battled valiantly, with Fisher making a remarkable recovery to earn a medal. Barega, unable to keep pace, finished seventh, just behind Kejelcha. Ahmed and Kibet rounded out the top five.
Cheptegei's victory not only marks a significant personal achievement but also stands as the first track gold medal of the Paris Olympics, celebrated in front of a near-capacity crowd of 69,000. His record-breaking run took 18 seconds off Kenenisa Bekele’s 2008 Olympic record, underscoring his dominance in the event.
Below is a video showing Joshua Cheptegei - World Athletics Championships Wins
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HYnNzqtpbis