I want to bag more medals in 2019, Ugandan Cheptigei says

Commonwealth Games 5,000m and 10,000m champion Joshua Cheptegei has declared that he wants to better his performance this year by bagging more medals for his country.

Cheptegei, who had a good season last year, told Nation Sport that he will take part in the Uganda cross country trials in Tororo, Uganda hoping to clinch a ticket to this World Cross Country champions in Aarhus, Denmark on March 30.

“I hope the team that will be selected will be strong. We will go for medals which and hope to clinch the overall title currently held by Kenyans,” he said.

The Ugandan said that he is eyeing a podium finish in Denmark after he harrowingly capitulated in Kampala in 2017.

“I have not prepared adequately but by the time we get closer to the competition, I will be in good form and I hope to win a medal for my country.”

Cheptegei is still recovering after being involved in a bad road accident in December. “I was hit by a vehicle which was joining the road and it caused some internal injuries which affected my training and performance.”

He is also eyeing the Diamond League races this season after he was kept out of action last season by injuries. He has planned to participate in various races as a build up for World Championships  set for Doha, Qatar in October.

 “Diamond League races are good to gauge one’s fitness and I will take part in various races to improve my personal best in the long distance races like  3,000m and 5,000m.”

The athlete trains in Kapchorua at an altitude of 1,900 metres above sea level in eastern Uganda under NN Running Team which comprises 12 athletes.

Cheptegei is also constructing a High Altitude Camp at the border of Mt Elgon National Park at a cost of $20,000 (Sh2 million) which he said will help many upcoming athletes. The proposed camp is a few kilometres from a similar facility conctsructed by the Ugandan government.

“We have a lot of challenges here in Kapchorua in terms of training facilities and that is why I decided to chip in and construct one which will help others prepare for various competitions across the globe.”

Cheptigei started his award winning exploits in 2014 when he bagged a gold medal in 10,000m race during the World Junior Championships held in Eugene, USA.

He was sixth and eighth in 10,000m and 5,000m during the Olympics Games in 2016 in Rio de Janeiro before finishing a dismal 30^th at the World Cross Country Championships in Kampala in 2017 when he misjudged his speed.

The  Kampala farce didn’t dampen his spirits as he went on with his training and he was up again during the World Championships in London where he bagged silver behind Great Britain’s Mo Farah in 10,000m race.

In 2018, he started the season well with a double win in 5,000m and 10,000m during the Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast, Australia.