Victor Kiplangat has promised to fight for his crown when the World Championships get underway in Tokyo from September 13 to 21.
The Ugandan star, who captured gold at the 2023 edition, will once again carry the nation’s hopes as team captain.
Kiplangat said he feels prepared both physically and mentally for the task ahead. “As a defending champion, I’m very ready to go and participate. Since I have been training well, the body is now okay and with God I serve, everything is possible. I’m going to defend my title,” he told reporters.
The 25-year-old will anchor a Ugandan squad that heads to Japan with history already made.
For the first time, the team features more female athletes than men, a shift that signals the growing depth of women’s athletics in the country.
Officials believe the milestone highlights both balance and the promise of a new generation ready to compete at the highest level.
Uganda will look to Kiplangat’s leadership on the roads and the energy of its women’s contingent on the track to make a statement in Tokyo.
