PHOTOS: Uganda's Kiprotich at Hamburg marathon 2017

Kiprotich at the end of the Hamburg Race

Former World and Olympic Champion Stephen Kiprotich put up his best showing in three years when he finished second at the Haspa Hamburg International Marathon Sunday April 23, 2017. He pocketed sh58 million for his effort.

Ethiopia’s Tsegaye Mekonnen won the race. 

Leading Men’s and Women’s Results and Prize Money:
(Men sub 2:09 and Women sub 2:25 to receive bonus)

Men:
1 Tsegaye Mekonnen (ETH) – 2:07:26 25k Euro
2 Stephen Kiprotich (UGA) – 2:07:31 15k Euro
3 Jacob Kandagor (KEN) – 2:08:50 10k Euro
4 Robert Chemosin (KEN) – 2:09:51 5k Euro
5 Japhet Kosgei (KEN) – 2:11:12 3k
6 Tsegaye Kebede (ETH) – 2:12:31 1k

Women:
1 Jessica Augusto (PORT) – 2:25:30 12.5k
2 Ifa Megertu (ETH) – 2:29:47 7.5k
3 Viola Kibiwot (KEN) – 2:30:33 debut 5k
4 Marisa Casananueva (ESP) – 2:32:22 pb 2.5k
5 Magdalena Shauri (TAN0 – 2:33:28 pb 1.5k

6 Adriana da Silva (BRA) – 2:35:44 500

Here are photo highlights (HASPA MARATHON MEDIA PHOTOS) and video.

FULL STORY: How Kiprotich secured 2nd place

FULL RACE REPORT

Video


Photos

Mekonnen edged Kiprotich (in background)

Weather conditions made it hard for the runners

The top runners in the men's and women's marathon

Cheptegei had what it takes to win #iaafKampala2017... Kenyans were lucky!

After two laps of the Kololo course, Cheptegei took charge before fading in the final lap.
He was however actually running as fast as he did on the same course at the national
 championships... so what really happened? PHOTOS KCCAMEDIA

Veteran national coach Nalis Bigingo, like many Ugandans, was critical of Joshua Cheptegei's tactics after Sunday's athletics World Cross Country Championship senior men's race at Kololo in Kampala.

"The boy miscalculated the race. He broke off very very early and could not sustain the pace," Bigingo told me.

"If Joshua was sure about his strength, he should have kept with the leading pack at least until the last lap," Bigingo added. The coach was also not happy with Uganda's Kampala 2017 technical team that should have sent a signal to restrain their 20-year old runner after he broke away in the 3rd lap.

Bigingo  acknowledged Cheptegei's strengths, having coached him as an 18-year-old to the 10,000m gold at  the 2014 World Junior Championships in Oregon, but said the pace he set at Kololo could not be sustained.

Equally critical was former Olympic champion Stephen Kiprotich, who finished 17th at Kololo and helped Uganda's senior men win team bronze and $12,000 (sh43million). Cheptegei's persistence and 30th place finish was crucial in sealing this though.

"I feel sorry for Joshua (Cheptegei) because he was in great shape coming into the race. It is sad he didn’t win," said Kiprotich. "He made a terrible mistake of breaking away so early. He should have waited at least until the last 2km." 

Cheptegei's split times on Sunday

The IAAF website described the final dramatic minutes of the race after Cheptegei set a blistering pace in the 3rd and 4th laps. "Between kilometres four and six he produced a 5:45 lap and picked up even more speed when recording a 5:34 fourth lap, to lead through 8km in 22:21."

IAAF added that, "but with just one lap between Cheptegei and a historic gold for the host nation, his reckless speed combined with the hot and humid conditions began to show." 

Even race winner, Kenya's Geoffrey Kipsang Kamworo put in a word, saying Cheptegei's pace was suicidal.

"I was confident of retaining my title. When the Ugandan broke away I kept my cool and ran my race. I knew he would get tired. His pace was so high and it would have been amazing if he had maintained it to the end,” said Kamworo.

Cheptegei used same style at nationals in January

Well, a close look at Cheptegei's recent performances and the clock HOWEVER show that he was actually running as well as he did two months back when he again destroyed the field to win the Uganda National Cross Country Championships on the same course over 5 laps.

It could be argued that a lot has changed, or the competition and competitors were different, but a look at the times set by the rest of the Ugandan team, shows most of them improved - except Cheptegei and one or two others.

Nearly all Ugandans returned improved times at the world event on Sunday in comparison with what they clocked at the national championships in January - many by as much as a minute.

Team Uganda coach Benjamin Longirosi had actually done a good job, with all the stars set to improve their January performance by at least 30 seconds. Cheptegei, like everyone else, was on track to improve by 30+ seconds.

Just like Kiplimo had done earlier, and which must have been practiced in training, the instruction was "test the pace in the first two laps, then break away". 

Moses Twesigye-omwe, a former national long distance ace, said the experience will be invaluable for Cheptegei.

"Experience is the best teacher. Cheptegei will certainly do better next time. Kenenisa Bekele suffered the same fate in Mombasa in 2007, blamed the climatic conditions (as if he was the only one subjected to them) but came back a year later to regain his supremacy. Watch the Ugandan next year."

Kiplimo wins, runs 45 secs better than in January

Embed from Getty Images

Jacob Kiplimo won the 8km junior men's world championship gold in 22:40, this was a whole 45 seconds better than he did at the national trials (23.25). Even Kevin Kibet, the second best Ugandan at 15th, run 2 seconds better.

Uganda's best junior woman Peruth Chemutai improved by close to a minute despite finishing 7th in 19:29, compared to 20:20 when she won in January.

In the senior women's race, best placed Mercyline Chelangat (12th) clocked 33:29, compared to 34:41 when she won the national championships.

In the senior men's race, 9th placed Timothy Toroitich (29:10), 16th Abdallah Kibet Mande (29:25) and 17th placed Stephen Kiprotich  (29:28) all improved their times in comparison with the national championships.

But, Joshua Cheptegei was practically walking when he finished 30th in a time of 0:30:08. 

Cheptegei's downfall at Kampala WXC acts as a stark reminder of the risks of Athletics at any level pic.twitter.com/XMYnn3FeZx

— MILLBERY (@AMillbery) March 27, 2017

He won on the same ground in 0:29:02 in January, and if he had improved by 45 seconds as Kiplimo did, or a minute as Chelangat and Chemutai, he should have got the gold and the $30,000 prize he deserved.

From the stats above, Cheptegei was not running beyond the pace he had trained for. He was actually on track and comfortable, but something in his body gave way at the crucial moment.

“Going by what I saw in training, I believe our time for gold has finally come,” Uganda’s Stephen Kiprotich had said before the race. 

Kiprotich was right. Kenya's Kamworor was lucky to win in 0:28:24!

PICTORIAL

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COMMENTS

World and Uganda cross country times comparison.docx by jadwongscribd on Scribd

IAAf Senior Men Race Analysis. by jadwongscribd on Scribd

Uganda ready as final entry lists for World Cross Country #IAAFKampala2017 released

Cheptegei wins the world juniors. He will be Uganda's man to watch

A Kenyan or Ethiopian has won the top IAAF World Cross Country Championships men’s individual title in 24 of the last 30 years.

The two nations’ record in the team event is even more intimidating – won all from 1986 to 2015. The story is increasingly similar in the women and junior events, with the Kenyans and Ethiopians dominating the past decade.

The story could however change on Sunday when Uganda hosts the 42nd IAAF World Cross Country Championships Kampala 2017.

Uganda has come close to taking the individual men’s gold once before through Moses Kipsiro in 2009 and will not get a better chance to take charge than this year at their own Kololo Independence Grounds on March 26.

“We have a selected a very strong team. We we want to challenge the dominant sides…we will give them a run for their money,” promised Uganda athletics chief Domenic Otucet.

There are many reasons why the Ugandans are confident. Three of them are Joshua Cheptegei, Stephen Kiprotich and Timothy Toroitich.

Kiprotich

Stephen Kiprotich has in the last five years shown the Kenyans and Ethiopians can be beaten at their own game. This he did in the marathon at the 2012 Olympic and 2013 world champions, all preceded by a sixth place showing at the 2011 World Cross championships in Spain.

At Uganda’s trials for this year’s event, he showed he can still match the change of pace from the marathon to the cross country, by finishing 5th.

Toroitich

All the stars, fresh from IAAF Cross Country Permit series November 2016 to February 2017, will travel to Kampala with a familiar name to look out for – Timothy Toroitich.

Before breaking off the circuit in November to prepare for Kampala 2017, Toroitich had swept to victory in the second leg race of the 2016-17 IAAF Cross Country Permit series.

Two weeks earlier, Toroitich finished second in the opening race of the winter’s IAAF Cross Country Permit series behind Bahrain’s Aweke Ayalew.

Toroitich finished fifth in the world cross country championships in 2013, and was eighth in the 10,000m at the IAAF World Championships Beijing 2015.

Embed from Getty Images

Joshua Cheptegei

Joshua Cheptegei destroyed a strong field to win the senior men’s gold at the National Cross Country Championships in Kampala in January to show he will be the man to watch on Sunday.

Defending champion Phillip Kipyeko set the early pace at the Kampala trials, but when Cheptegei took charge in the second of five laps at Kololo, the battle for everyone else remained for second place.

Cheptegei is the 2014 world U20 10,000m champion and 2015 African junior cross-country gold medalist.

The 20-year-old doubled at last year’s Olympic Games, finishing an impressive sixth in the 10,000m and eighth in the 5000m on his debut, and will clearly be favourite to dethrone the Kenyans and Ethiopians.

He has what it takes to make a glorious debut in the seniors, having finished 11th at his first cross country event, the junior men's event in 2015.





The Prize Money at the IAAF World Cross Country Championships will be as follows: 
Senior Races:
Individual
1st $30,000
2nd $15,000
3rd $10,000
4th $7,000
5th $5,000
6th $3,000

Team
1st $20,000
2nd $16,000
3rd $12,000
4th $10,000
5th $8,000
6th $4,000

Relay:
1st $12,000
2nd $ 8,000
3rd $6,000
4th $4,000

.@iaaforg Teachinal Teams with final installations at Kololo earlier today. #Seiko #iaafkampala2017 pic.twitter.com/VaA358EDJt

— Josh Wama (@JoshWama) March 23, 2017

Here is the IAAF World Cross Country championships 2017 final entry lists. The Ugandan capital Kampala this week hosts 557 runners from 59 countries and one refugee team.

Entry List Iaaf World Cross Country Championships Kampala 2017 by jadwongscribd on Scribd

OLYMPICS: Cheptegei set for double Rio assault, Police boosts Uganda's team

Joshua Cheptegei wins at the World Juniors. He gets a chance to win a
first senior medal this month.
PHOTO CREDIT Erik van Leeuwen 

Opening ceremony
Friday, August 5 2016 (Saturday 2.00am Uganda time)
Uganda's flag bearer
Swimmer - Joshua Ekirikubinza

The Rio Olympics track and field schedule has handed Uganda's former World and African junior 10000m champion Joshua Kiprui Cheptegei two chances to win his first senior medal.

Cheptegei together with Juliet Chekwel, are the only Ugandan athletes doing a double and have been blessed by a favourable, well spaced schedule. The 10000 metres finals are among the first events at Rio - with the 5000m starting four days later.

Nineteen-year-old Cheptegei, has one of the fastest times in the world this year in the 5000m of 13:00.60 and will be one of the contenders in the 10000m final on August 13, and in the 12.5 lap race on August 17.

Cheptegei is seen as one of the brightest spots on the team, and together with Olympic champion Stephen Kiprotich, our best bet for a medal in Brazil.

2016 TOP LIST

RANK	MARK	COMPETITOR	DOB	NAT	POS		VENUE	DATE
1	12:59.29	Mohamed FARAH	23 MAR 1983	GBR	1		London (Olympic Stadium)	23 JUL 2016
2	12:59.43	Muktar EDRIS	14 JAN 1994	ETH	1		Eugene (Hayward Field), OR	28 MAY 2016
3	12:59.89	Dejen GEBREMESKEL	24 NOV 1989	ETH	1		Somerville, MA	17 JUN 2016
	12:59.96	Muktar EDRIS	14 JAN 1994	ETH	1		Shanghai	14 MAY 2016
4	12:59.98	Geoffrey Kipsang KAMWOROR	22 NOV 1992	KEN	2		Eugene (Hayward Field), OR	28 MAY 2016
5	13:00.20	Hagos GEBRHIWET	11 MAY 1994	ETH	2		Somerville, MA	17 JUN 2016
6	13:00.60	Joshua Kiprui CHEPTEGEI	12 SEP 1996	UGA	2		Shanghai	14 MAY 2016

Chekwel carries women's flag

Chekwel,26, carries the flag for Ugandan women distance runners, and will feature in the 10000m final on August 12, before getting another shot at glory on August 16 in the 5000m final. 

First in action however for team Uganda will be the boxers and swimmers. 

Light heavyweight boxer Kennedy Katende climbs the ring 7pm on Sunday August 7 to face Joshua Buatasi of the United Kingdom, before Jamila Lunkuse dives into the pool for the preliminary, 100m breaststroke race same day.

Athletics only starts on August 12, with the last runners in action on the final day, in the marathon.

Outside Ugandan runners, one of the highlights of the track and field events is the 100m final, Sunday August 14.

Uganda's Boxing schedule
Kennedy Katende Men's light heavyweight August 7
Ronald Serugo Men's flyweight  August 13

Uganda's Swimming schedule
Sunday August 7
Jamila Lunkuse 100m breaststroke

Thursday August 11
Joshua Ekirikubinza Men's 50 m freestyle

Uganda's Athletics schedule
Friday August 12 Day 7
Women's 10000m women

Saturday August 13 Day 8
Women's 3000m Steeplechase round 1
10000m men

Sunday August 14 Day 9 
Women's marathon

Monday August 15 Day 10
men's 3000m steeplechase round 1
women 3000m steeplecahse final

Tuesday August 16 Day 11
women's 5000m round 1
Men's 1500m round 1

Wed August 17 Day Day 12
Men's 5000m round 1
women's 800m round 1
Men's steeplecahse final

Thursday August 18 Day 13
Men's 1500m semifinal
Men's 800m semifinal

Friday August 19 Day 14
women's 5000m final



Saturday August 20 Day 15
Men's 1500m final
Women's 800m final
Men's 5000m final

Sunday August 21 Day 16
Men's Marathon final

State send off

The Uganda team is expected to be flagged off at State House hours before flying out to Rio on Sunday. Athletics federation president and Olympic team manager Dominic Otuchet will lead  the second batch to Rio that has 14 runners, as boxers and swimmers left earlier.

The first batch, the boxers and swimmers left earlier, with Joshua Ekirikubinza set to carry the Ugandan flag at the opening ceremony.

The final batch, the marathon team of  Kiprotich, Jackson Kiprop and Solomon Mutai will stay in high altitude training in Uganda until August 15,  5 days to their race on the final day. 

Uganda's team to Rio comprises 21, 14 men and 7 women. 

"The training has gone well, and all signs are that we will do well in Rio," Otuchet said.

At the last games, Uganda won one medal,  gold from Kiprotich int he marathon.

The track team will be coached by Faustine Kiwa, a coaches instructor supported by Italian Giuseppe Giambrone and Grace Chesang.

FLASH BACK: Museveni sends off the Uganda team to London with a joke.

Uganda's track and field team comprises:

Women
Juliet Chekwel 5000m/10000m
Peruth Chemutai 3000m steeplechase
Stella Chesang 5000m
Halimah Nakaayi 800m
Winnie Nanyondo 800m
Adero Nyakisi Marathon
Men
Jacob Araptany 3000 m steeplechase
Joshua Kiprui Cheptegei 5000m/ 10000 m
Benjamin Kiplagat 3000m steeplechase
Jacob Kiplimo 5000m
Jackson Kiprop Marathon
Stephen Kiprotich
Phillip Kipyego 5000m
Moses Kurong 10000m
Ronald Musagala 1500m
Solomon Mutai Marathon
Timothy Toroitich 10000m

Uganda gets Nike boost

Kale Kayihura hands over kit that Police helped clear to UOC president William
Blick, UAF  president Otuchet and Omara Opitta of the Sports ministry.
PHOTO CREDIT @allandarren

Uganda's Olympic team will travel with their kit to Rio courtesy of Uganda Police and Nike.

Because of hight taxes on sports equipment, Uganda has at previously asked their suppliers to deliver kit at the games, which has often come with one or two hitches.

At one Olympics, taxes amounted to sh88 million, with local officials only able to access the kit well after the games are over. Local sports officials have still failed to secure a government waiver on taxes on this kit.

Uganda Police, who have one of the strongest track and field clubs in the country that includes Cheptegei in their ranks, helped clear the kit this time. Prisons are the national champions, with Kiprotich among their runners.

IGP Kale Kayihura today handed over the kit from Nike, team Uganda's news sponsors, at a brief ceremony. 

"We are proud to be dressed by Nike, who support only the top ranked track and field countries like Kenya," said Uganda Athletics Federation president Otuchet.

Nike's new track and field sponsorship started this year and runs to 2019, and according to Otuchet, the athletics federation lobbied for kit to be provided to the entire Uganda team.

Uganda to name Olympic track and field team this week

Mutai (left) and Kiprotich (right) favourites to get two of
Uganda's three marathon places in Rio

31 DAYS TO GO: The national athletics championships Wednesday July 6 and Thursday 7 will offer Uganda's home-based runners a final chance to book a ticket to the Rio Olympics that start on August 5, 2016. 

The national championships at Mandela Stadium Namboole, were originally scheduled for July 15, but have had to be brought back in order to beat the Olympic qualification deadline of July 11. (see schedule bottom)

Uganda will next month send her biggest contingent of track and field athletes to an Olympics. Up to 20 athletes have met the Olympic qualifying team, but with quotas set for all races, Uganda's team will feature at least 16 - three better than Seoul 1988.

"I think we have a good team that can better our performance at the London Olympics where we got one gold," athletics federation president Domenic Otuchet said in Kampala. 

"This team looks solid enough to bring three medals, but to better London Olympics, one of them has to be gold." 

The toughest competition has been in the marathon, where eight athletes hit the qualifying mark - 7 men and 1 woman. Country's can field a maximum of 3 athletes per event.

Favorite to lead the marathon team is Olympic Champion Stephen Kiprotich.

Others - not in any particular ranking are - Solomon Munyo Mutai, Kiprop Jackson, Robert Chemonges, Abraham Kiplimo, Alex Cheskit and Moses Kipsiro. Uganda will send a team of 4 marathoners, three men and one woman - Adero Nyakesi. 

“We will pick the best depending on performance,” Uganda athletics chief Otuchet said early this year.

Kiprotich has run 2:07:46 and 2:06:33 in the Tokyo marathon (FULL STORY CLICK) where he finished 4th early this year. Chesakit has run 2:13:06, Mutai 2:10:42, Kiprop 2:15:16, Kiplimo has a best time of 2:09:23 in 2014 and Kipsiro clocked 2:15:48.

File photo of Chesang on way to World Mountain title

There will also be 4 in the other long distance races, the 10000m and 5000m.

The long distances will have; Juliet Chekwel (10000m), Joshua Cheptgei (10000m and 5000m), Timothy Toroitich (10000m),  Moses Kurong (10000m)

Others are Phillip Kipyeko ( 5000m), Jacob Kiplimo (5000m) and World Mountain running champion Stella Chesang (5000m).

Benjamin Kiplagat and Jacob Araptany, joined by Peruth Chemutai will feature in the 3000m Steeplechse, Ronald Musagala in the 1,500m and Winnie Nanyondo in the 800m, will be the fifth woman on the team.

Overall, Uganda is expected to field 18 - 16 athletes at least, and two boxers. The team will be named after the national trials.

Uganda’s track and field team at the last Olympics in London was the biggest (11 out of 15) since Seoul 1988 when we had 13.  Kiprotich’s gold in London 2012, was the first Olympic medal since Davis Kamoga’s bronze in 1992 and one of only two gold Uganda has won at the games. The first gold was by Akii Bua in 1972, one of only 7 medals Uganda has won at Olympics track and field.



"Thank God, we will certainly have bigger numbers this time. The numbers will however mean nothing if we do not return with medals," said Otuchet.

Otuchet said team preparations are in advanced stage, with the team coached by veteran coach Benjamin Longirosi in camp in Bukwo. Taking care of the camp is sports administrator Peter Chelangat and chaperon Grace Chesang.

Only Kiprotich and Nyakisi are not yet in, having asked to train with their international colleagues in Kenya.

Athletes who have qualified
Women 5: Winnie Nanyondo (800m), Stella Chesang (5,000m), Peruth Chemutai (3000mSC), Juliet Chekwel (10000m) and Adero Nyakesi (marathon)

Men marathon 7: Stephen Kiprotich, Solomon Munyo Mutai, Robert Chemonges, Kiprop Jackson, Abraham Kiplimo, Alex Cheskit and Moses Kipsiro.

Men other events 7: Joshua Cheptgei (10000m and 5000m), Timothy Toroitich (10,000m), Phillip Kipyeko ( 5,000m), Ronald Musagala (1,500m) and Benjamin Kiplagat (3,000m SC), Jacob Kiplimo (5,000m), Moses Kurong (10000m)

Champs Prog 2016 by jadwongscribd on Scribd

ALL set for start in next hour. #Uganda #Athletics Championship Mandela Stadium, Namboole #RoadToRio #RioOlympics pic.twitter.com/VopgdmKPWu

— Louis Jadwong (@Jadwong) July 6, 2016

We on. First race,1500m semis won by Abu Mayanja of UWA 3:56.7 #Uganda #Athletics Championship #RoadToRio pic.twitter.com/Mzmxylt3sz

— Louis Jadwong (@Jadwong) July 6, 2016

3000m Steeplechase women final won by Annet Chebet 10:56.03. (Qual.time 9:45.00) #UgAthleticsChamps #RoadToRio pic.twitter.com/QEDrO9E1AG

— Louis Jadwong (@Jadwong) July 6, 2016

Tweets about #UgAthleticsChamps



******

Countdown starts

The countdown to Rio 2016 has started. 

On Monday, the Olympic Games Rio 2016 Official Theme-Music video was released. Alma e Coração - Thiaguinho and Projota.

DOWNLOAD FULL SCHEDULE BELOW

2016 Rio Olympic Schedule by jadwongscribd