Joshua Cheptegai, photo by PhotoRun.net
At the 2017 World Cross, Joshua Cheptegai took off, in front of his countrymen and looked to be headed for a win on the hot, humid Ugandan course. But, in the last lap, his dreams came apart, as Geoffrey Kamworor took the third of his World cross titles. Joshua Cheptegai, the 2018 5000m/10,000m Commonwealth Champ, the 2017 London World 10,000m silver medalist considered this tough race for the past 2 yearsrr. On March 30, 2019, in Aarhus, Denmark, Joshua Cheptegai took control, and did not let up, winning his first world cross country title. The following is the press release on Cheptegai’s win!
Joshua Cheptegai, photo by PhotoRun.net
Joshua Cheptegei wins the World Cross Championship in Aarhus, Denmark
Joshua Cheptegei of Uganda is the new World Champion Cross Country after a heroic race in Aarhus, Denmark. With the victory he becomes the first ever athlete from Uganda to win the World Cross title. The talented Ugandan sought redemption after getting caught with an overheated engine just shy of the victory during the last World Championships in Kampala back in 2017.
Joshua Cheptegei, photo by NN Running team
Fellow NN Running Team stronghold Geoffrey Kamworor finished 3rd after consecutive world titles the past two championships.
1. Joshua Cheptegei (UGA) – 31:40
2. Jacob Kiplimo (UGA) – 31:44
3. Geoffrey Kamworor (KEN) – 31:55
“It is an awesome feeling winning here today. Since I missed it last time in 2017 I now reached my mission to return with the gold medal. It means a lot to me to be the first ever Ugandan to win this title. The course was very hard and difficult but I had a very strong preparation at home in Kampala where the terrain is very similar.
