Ugandan long-distance runner Joshua Cheptegei lost to Norwegian’s Jacob Ingerbrigtsen in the 5000m race at the Wanda Diamond league at Stadio Luigi Ridolfion in Florence. Italy last night.
The 5000 m world record holder finished 6th posting a season-best of 12:54:69 after leading much of the race before the 20-year-old Norwegian took over to post a personal best of 12:48:45. Ethiopia’s Hagos Gebrhiwet came second at 12:49:02.
The results beat Cheptegei’s earlier target of improving the personal best time. The star athlete had earlier targeted to post 12:40 before he heads to the Olympic games in Japan Tokyo. This was Cheptegei’s last competitive race in his final stages before Tokyo.
However, despite losing in the Diamond league, Cheptegei’s 12:35:36 record of the 5000 m race remained standing. He set the record in August 2020, at the Monaco Diamond League meet, breaking Kenenisa Bekele’s 16-year-old record of 12:37.35 set in Hengelo.
In the same Diamond league, Albert Chemutai missed the 3000m Tokyo qualification mark of 8:22:00 when he came 10th even after posting a season-best time of 8:23:96. Winnie Nanyondo came fifth in the 1500m race and attained a season-best of 4:00:84 in the race.
This, therefore, means that the fight in Olympics 5000m race will be sharp between Uganda’s duo Joshua Cheptegei, Jacob Kiplimo and Ethiopia’s Edris Muktar, Hagos Gebrhiwet. Kiplimo skipped the Rome league.
