Uganda’s long-distance runner Oscar Chelimo has secured a spot in the Men’s 5000m final at the Paris 2024 Olympics.
This is after the 22-year-old athlete finished fifth in heat two of the semi-finals on Wednesday, clocking a time of 13:52.46.
The heat and overall race was won by Norway’s Jakob Ingerbrigtsen, who posted the fastest time of 13:51.59.
Chelimo was the only Ugandan representative in the event, following the withdrawal of compatriots Joshua Cheptegei and Jacob Kiplimo.
Despite the high stakes, he performed relatively well, finishing fifth overall out of 41 athletes to earn his spot in the final that will take place on Saturday, August 10, at 8:50 pm.
In the final, Chelimo will be competing for a medal against tough competitors, including Jakob Ingerbrigtsen and a strong Kenyan trio of Jacob Krop, Edwin Kurgat, and Ronald Kwemoi, who finished 4th, 5th, and 6th in their heats respectively.
Uganda’s Joshua Cheptegei won gold in the Men’s 5000m at the previous Olympics games in Tokyo, while Chelimo’s half brother Jacob Kiplimo took bronze in the same event.
