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Kipchoge, Kipyegon to grace Joshua Cheptegei's Christmas run
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Reading Time: 3min | Fri. 13.12.24. | 10:52
The run is expected to attract over 2,000 participants, with race categories for various age groups
Triple Olympic 1,500m gold medalist Faith Kipyegon and double Olympic marathon champion Eliud Kipchoge are among the dignitaries expected in the seventh edition of the Joshua Cheptegei Christmas Run slated for Saturday, December 14 in Kapchorwa, Uganda.
The duo, who are under the NN Running Team, will be joined by three-time half-marathon champion Geoffrey Kamworor to make the event a resounding success.
Cheptegei trained with Kipchoge and Kamworor in 2016 before the Rio Olympics in Brazil, until Global Communications brought coach Addy Ruiter to Kapchorwa as a full-time coach.
Kipyegon has competed twice in Kampala during the 2014 Africa and 2017 World stages of cross-country.
She is also a well-known friend to Ugandan middle-distance runners Winnie Nanyondo and Halimah Nakaayi.
Speaking on their preparedness ahead of the event, Joshua Cheptegei Development Foundation (JoCDeF) programs director Abraham Kiplimo noted that they were expecting thousands of kids to compete in the event.
"Last year, we had about 1680 kids but this time, we expect over 2000. We are attracting big guests and other guests from within Uganda," Kiplimo offered.
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He went on to explain that the presence of the Olympic champions will add a layer of excitement to the event.
"Their visit shows the global integration of friendship between the East African sportsmen. It shows that we are one though we compete but sports brings us together," he said.
What makes this year’s edition unique is that there will be a 5km race to preach against Gender-Based Violence (GBV) which has claimed the lives of several athletes, among them Uganda’s Rebecca Cheptegei.
"We'll have a 5km walk race to amplify the message about gender-based violence, involving cultural and religious leaders," he added.
The run is expected to attract over 2,000 participants, with race categories for various age groups.
Distances will range from 3 kilometers for young children to 21 kilometers for adults.
The Joshua Cheptegei Christmas Kids Run has become a signature event in the Sebei region, blending athletics with social advocacy and community development.
This year’s focus on empowering young people while promoting sports tourism promises to make the 2024 edition even more impactful.
This year’s edition is also special to Cheptegei who has had a fantastic season. The Ugandan distance-running sensation, already a three-time world champion and world record holder, won his maiden 10,000m Olympics title after clocking an impressive 26 minutes and 43.14 seconds.
In the process, he set a new Olympic record, surpassing the previous mark set by Ethiopian legend Kenenisa Bekele at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
Cheptegei’s victory in Paris was particularly satisfying, as it came after his silver-medal performance in the same event at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.
The 27-year-old had previously won gold in the 5,000 meters in Tokyo but had been eager to add the 10,000-meter title to his illustrious list of achievements.
