Ugandans are expressing their joy and heaping congratulatory messages upon long distance athlete, Joshua Kiprui Cheptegei, who on Sunday morning won the 5000m gold at the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast, Australia.
The victory has particularly been sweeter for Ugandans who in 2017, watched as Cheptegei slipped from a commanding first place in the early laps to finish in 30th position, at the World Cross Country Championship held in Kampala, Uganda.
At the time, Cheptegei’s desperate last lap became an internet joke as Ugandans chose to laugh off their disappointment.
Since then, the 21 year old athlete has won won silver at the IAAF World Championships in London and run the world’s second fastest 15km race ever at the Seven Hills Race in Netherlands.
Uganda’s president Yoweri Kaguta Museveni led the celebrations of Uganda’s first gold medal at this year’s Commonwealth games, won at the expense of Canada’s Mohammed Ahmed and Kenyan teenager Edward Zakayo.
I want to congratulate Stella Chesang for winning Gold in the Women's 10,000m finals at the Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast, Australia. You have done your country proud!
— Yoweri K Museveni (@KagutaMuseveni) April 9, 2018
Congratulations Joshua upon your amazing run. Your country salutes and celebrates you. #CountryBeforeSelf pic.twitter.com/nuqP1Ekmau
— Mugisha Muntu (@mugishamuntu) April 8, 2018
Team Africa at the 2018 Commonwealth Games
While Ugandans are celebrating a gold medal, it is the South African delegation that has had the most success so far, in terms of medals won by an African country.
With 4 gold medals on Monday, South Africa’s total tally of 10 medals has them currently at eighth position on the Commonwealth Games medals table.
The gold medals have been won by Henri Schoeman, in the men’s triathlon, Tatjana Schoenmaker, women’s 200m breaststroke and Chad le Clos in the men’s 200m butterfly and men’s 500m butterfly.
Mauritius, Kenya and Cameroon are the other African countries that have made it to th medals table, with one silver medal, two bronze medals and one bronze medal respectively.
Source:www.africanews.com