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Joshua Cheptegei and Jacob Kiplimo will not take part in the world athletics championships due next week in Tokyo
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When the world athletics fraternity converges in the Japanese Capital of Tokyo for yet another scintillating world athletics championships raging competition between the world stars, two notable names will not be on the start lists. This is the Ugandan pair of Joshua Cheptegei and Jacob Kiplimo, the two world name athletes that have turned the long distance track events a trademark of an affair between them and Ethiopian and Kenyan opponents.
When the Athletics Uganda (AU) named the final squad to the games that start this month and as soon as next week September 13-21, the two names were missing, to the surprise of many Ugandans and the continent and world at large. "Cheptegei and Kiplimo will miss the 2025 Tokyo World Championships due to personal reasons. We request that their privacy be respected at this particular time," Is all, an equally challenged Athletics Uganda president Dominic Otuchet would tell the press.
Cheptegei is the current world record holder for the 5000 metres and the 10,000 metres, and held the world best time over the 15 kilometres distance and he is also the reigning Olympic champion in the 10000 m and above all, the reigning three-time World champion in the 10,000 meters.
His first world championship podium having come in 2019 in Doha before defending his gold in the 2022 Eugene meeting and again beating the rest for his third consecutive gold in Budapest in 2023 and this is what the world will miss watching, as the world's number one will not be going for a quadruple in Tokyo.
Joshua Cheptegei rings the bell after winning the 10,000m world athletics championships gold in Budapest, 2023
But there is more than the pair missing the world event, that has specifically been the platform for the shaping of especially Joshua Cheptegei's name on the world athletics ranks.
Both athletes had qualified for the Championships in the 10,000m and marathon events, but not very many know that while Kiplimo has been racing both on the road and track, Cheptegei had retired from the track and is now focusing on the road races and hence targeting making a strong start in his new challenge.
And his decision not to go defend his world title, is attributed to a focus on his burgeoning marathon career, with plans to compete in the upcoming marathons in October.
Kiplimo, the world record holder in the half-marathon, has also opted to leave out Tokyo and go for other races and his recent injuries have been a set back as he now looks at full recovery as the best option.
And while the specific nature of their personal reasons remains private, Athletics Uganda (AU) has surely respected their decision, as president Otuchet has stated.
The absence of the pair is widely seen as a significant blow to Uganda's medal prospects at the Championships and AU and Uganda will be waiting to see how the named Victor Kiplangant (Marathon), Solomon Mutai (Marathon), Stephen Kissa (Marathon), Abel Chelangat (Marathon), Dan Kibet (10,000M), Oscar Chelimo (5000M), Keneth Kiprop (5000M) and Herbert Kibet (5000M), can do against a host of stars from Kenya and Ethiopia.
Torch Media Africa
