Cheptegei conquers Ethiopian challenge to win Olympic 10,000m gold

Uganda’s Joshua Cheptegei defied a relentless Ethiopian challenge to claim gold in a thrilling men’s 10,000m final at the Stade de France on Friday. The three-time world champion and world record holder shattered the Olympic record, clocking an astonishing 26 minutes, 43.14 seconds to secure the elusive Olympic title.
The race was a tactical masterpiece, with the Ethiopian trio of Selemon Barega, Yomif Kejelcha, and Berihu Aregawi controlling the pace for much of the contest. However, Cheptegei, who admitted to being inspired by Kenenisa Bekele’s 2008 Olympic triumph, remained patient before unleashing a decisive surge in the final lap.
Aregawi edged out a fast-finishing Grant Fisher by just two-hundredths of a second to claim silver, while the American secured bronze.
“It’s the dream of young people to achieve what they want to achieve in life,” said Cheptegei. “Barely 16 years ago when I was watching the great Kenenisa Bekele win in Beijing, it was something that grew in my heart. I said, one day, one time, I want to be Olympic champion.”
The victory marks a significant milestone for Cheptegei, who had previously won silver at the Tokyo Olympics. “I’ve wanted this for a long time,” he added. “When I took silver in Tokyo, I was disappointed. I wanted just to win the 10,000m.”