Kiplimo: Kenyan athletes bring out the best in me

Uganda's Jacob Kiplimo wins the senior men's 10km race during the World Cross Country Championships at the Mount Panaroma Circuit in Bathurst, Australia on February 18, 2023.

As far as middle and long distance running is concerned, Ethiopia has for all practical purposes been Kenya’s only rival but in recent years, Uganda has joined the table, going toe to toe with the country at the World Athletics Championships, at the Olympic Games, and at the Commonwealth Games.

Interestingly, a majority of the Ugandan athletes giving Kenya a run for her money in athletics are concentrated in a small town in eastern Uganda called Kapchorwa.

Kapchorwa is to Ugandan athletics what Iten is to Kenya. It is suitable for high altitude training, and has produced a majority of Uganda’s athletes.

World half marathon record holder Jacob Kiplimo of Uganda has pitched camp in Kapchorwa, training ahead of 2024 Olympics in Paris, where he will keep the rivalry between the two countries alive over 5,000 metres and 10,000m.

He has paid glowing tribute to Kenyan athletes, saying they have helped bring out the best in him during competitions.

“The sport has brought us together and I must admit that Kenyan athletes have helped bring out the best in me. They are my great friends and some have given me good pieces of advice on how to maintain discipline. They also beat me in some races, and that’s the nature of sport,” he said.

Kiplimo will have his fellow countryman, Olympics 10,000m champion Joshua Cheptegei for company in the two races against a strong contingent from Kenya. In the 5,000m race, Kiplimo and Cheptegei will come up against the Kenyan contingent of 2014 Commonwealth 1,500m silver medallist Ronald Kwemoi, 2022 World Athletics Championships 5,000m silver medallist Jacob Krop, and US-based runner Edward Kurgat.

In men’s 10,000m race, Kiplimo and Cheptegei will be up against Kenyan contingent of Daniel Mateiko, Bernard Kibet and Nicholas Kimeli, as well as athletes from other countries.

Kenya will be seeking to reclaim the elusive 10,000m title last won by John Ngugi at the 1988 Seoul Olympics. Cheptegei is the fastest man over the distance, having clocked 12 minutes and 35.36 seconds in victory in Monaco in 2020.

Kiplimo is the third fastest man over the distance with season best time of 12:40.96. He started the season by retaining the World Cross Country Championships title in Belgrade, Serbia in March