The newly crowned 10,000-meter Olympic champion, Joshua Cheptegei, has reportedly withdrawn from the 5000-meter race at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
The withdrawal comes after the 27-year-old Ugandan athlete sustained a shoulder injury during the celebrations following his 10,000-meter victory on August 2.
The news was reported by Daily Monitor sports journalist Darren Allan Kyeyune on his official X platform and the newspaper on Monday evening.
Kyeyune posted; “@JoshuaCheptege1 will not compete in the 5000-metre event of the #Paris2024 Games…..”
Cheptegei’s withdrawal is a significant blow to Uganda’s medal prospects, as he was a strong contender to defend his 5000-metre title, which he won at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.
His teammates, Jacob Kiplimo and Oscar Chelimo, will now represent Uganda in the event.
According to sources close to the athlete, Cheptegei’s injury occurred during the celebrations after his record-setting win in the 10,000-meter race, where he clocked an Olympic record time of 26:43.14.
Despite the injury being described as “not serious,” it has caused significant discomfort, leading to Cheptegei’s decision to request an exemption from the race.
Uganda is expected to formally request the Olympic Committee to remove Cheptegei’s name from the 5000-metre start list tonight.
The men’s 5000-meter event is scheduled to begin with the Round One heats on August 7, with the final taking place on August 10.
Cheptegei’s absence from the start line will undoubtedly be felt, as he was set to compete in what was anticipated to be his final track race before transitioning to marathon running.
Some sources in Paris have reported that Cheptegei has not had any preparation sessions since sustaining the injury on Friday night.
The decision to withdraw was made to ensure that the injury did not worsen, potentially jeopardizing his future career in marathon running.
