Kiplimo ensures Uganda retains world cross country championship
Jacob Kiplimo has shown that it was no fluke for Uganda to win the 2023 title when he retained the 2024 World Athletics Cross Country championship in Belgrade.
The Ugandan runner ensured he tore the leading group with devastating attacking on the final lap after Kenya’s Gideon Rono had attempted to break away from a lead group of around 10 runners on the penultimate lap.
Rono was brought back by Kiplimo together with fellow Ugandan and Olympics 5000m champion Joshua Chpetegei.
Kiplimo would later ease to a comfortable win, completing the 10km race in 28:09.
Berihu Aregawi from Ethiopia finished second after crossing the finishing line in 28 minutes and 12 seconds while Kenya’s Nicholas, came third in 28 minutes and 14 seconds.
The win ensured a hat-trick for Uganda, after Joshua Cheptegei in 2019, and Kiplimo in 2023.
The Ugandan runner also joined Ethiopia’s Kenenisa Bekele and Paul Tergat in defending their world titles.
“Although it wasn’t an easy competition, I want thank God for his Grace and also my coaches for designing for me a perfect training program that kept me in shape,” Kiplimo said.
He attributed his performance to the teammates like Cheptegei and others for a great team spirit executed in the game.
“Without them, my victory was at stake”. He noted.
