This exciting display of endurance and strategy saw Joshua Cheptegei take first place in the 10,000m race at the 2024 Paris Olympics in an Olympic Record of 26:43.14. It was the first gold medal won by Uganda during these Games, and it sealed his long-anticipated personal promise of topping the podium after his silver finish at Tokyo 2020.
Cheptegei did wonders on the purple track of Stade de France. The race unfolded with Ethiopia’s Selemon Barega at the top, exchanging positions with compatriots Yomif Kejelcha and Berihu Aregawi. However, Cheptegei intelligently trailed some meters behind his rivals and unleashed his lethal charge with 3km remaining. The 27-year-old stormed to the front with a lap to go in the 23rd, bringing the race to a blistering end that totally dashed any hope from those behind.
Cheptegei’s tactics were more than evident, as he patiently stayed with the leaders before unveiling his final attack. At the 700-meter mark, he turned up his engines to pull clear of competition and never looked back, covering the finishing stretch with a very assertive position to seal the win. The strategic timing and relentless drive ensured he crossed the line quite well ahead of immediate competitors.
The silver went to Aregawi of Ethiopia in 26:43.44, but Fisher edged the Canadian record holder by a hair for the bronze in a season-best 26:43.46.
That gold medal was the crowning glory of Cheptegei’s glittering career, which had seen him set world records in both 5,000m and 10,000m, while his multiple championships included winning World Cross Country. Cheptegei succeeded in Paris by fulfilling the promise he had given to the world back in August 2021—to come back to the Olympics and grab gold to replace the medal he gave to his friend Stephen Kiprotich.
In his victory speech, Cheptegei indicated this might be his last appearance on the tracks. “For me, maybe it’s time to go to the roads,” he said. “I have really won everything that is there to be won. So I think this is my last Olympics and probably this is my last track and field. I am really very sure that the track is in safe hands with these guys.”
Joshua Cheptegei’s performance of a lifetime does not only add to his list of honorees but also fulfills one of the stirring moments in Olympic history. Now a three-time gold medalist and holder of the 5,000m and 10,000m World Records, Cheptegei certainly seals his legacy as one of the all-time great long-distance runners. This shift to road marathons no doubt shall bring new challenges and opportunities, but the things he did on the track and field will remain in memory for many years.
Cheptegei’s victory bore testament to his supreme talent, indomitable will, and the never-give-up spirit defining Olympic greatness.
