What are Uganda’s medal chances at the 2024 Olympics?

The 2024 Olympic Games will take centre stage from July 27 to August 11 in the French capital Paris and other cities. Multiple world champion and 5000m Olympic gold medalist Joshua Cheptegei will lead Team Uganda that will compete at the Games of the XXXIII Olympiad after he was named captain last week. Uganda’s team […] The post What are Uganda’s medal chances at the 2024 Olympics? appeared first on Kawowo Sports.

Jul 18, 2024 - 22:30

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What are Uganda’s medal chances at the 2024 Olympics?

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The 2024 Olympic Games will take centre stage from July 27 to August 11 in the French capital Paris and other cities.

Multiple world champion and 5000m Olympic gold medalist Joshua Cheptegei will lead Team Uganda that will compete at the Games of the XXXIII Olympiad after he was named captain last week.

Uganda’s team is comprised of 25 athletes who will be competing in track and road events, swimming, cycling and rowing.

Team Uganda comprises 12 first-time Olympians. These include rising sprinter Tarsis Orogot, swimmers Gloria Muzito and Jesse Ssengozi, cyclist Charles Kagimu, marathoners Rebecca Cheptegei, Victor Kiplangat and Andrew Rotich Kwemoi, long-distance runners Belinda Chemutai, Annet Chelangat, Joy Cheptoyek, and Martin Kiprotich, and steeplechaser Leonard Chemutai.

Cheptegei, a gold medalist at the last Olympics, will lead Uganda’s medal hunt along with training partner Jacob Kiplimo. The duo will compete in 5000m & 10000m and are top of the list of Uganda’s medal hopefuls.

In the 5000m race, the duo along with Oscar Chelimo will have to fend off the likes of Selemon Barega (Ethiopia), Jacob Krop (Kenya) and Norwegian Jakob Ingebrigtsen while Berihu Aregawi (Ethiopia) will join the chase for the 10000m medals.

On the road, Victor Kiplangat has been in ascendence over the past couple of years, winning the marathon gold at the Birmingham Commonwealth Games in 2022 and the 2023 World Championships in Budapest. Kiplangat who will be running at his first Olympics also holds Uganda’s medal hopes in an event where second-time Olympian Stephen Kisa could be a surprise package to win some hardware.

Victor Kiplangat celebrates after winning the Men’s Marathon at the 2023 World Athletics Championship | Credit: World Athletics

Peruth Chemutai, a gold medalist in Tokyo, will be looking to defend her crown in the Women’s 3000m Steeplechase. Chemutai has run a world-leading time (8:55.09) in the event this season which she ran during the Eugene Diamond League meet. It was her first-ever sub-9-minute race and will fancy her chances in Paris when she takes on the likes of Beatrice Chepkoek of Kenya.

Peruth Chemutai during a race at African Games | Credit: John Batanudde

Meanwhile, 2019 world champion Halima Nakaayi will all but have her last shot at an Olympic medal in a very competitive event. Nakaayi who ran a world-leading 1:57.58 during the Continental Tour Gold in Los Angeles will have to better that effort if she is to fend off favourites Mary Moraa (Kenya) and the Great Britain duo of Jemma Reekie and Keely Hodgkinson.