Athletics-Cheptegei retains world 10,000 title in style

Uganda’s Joshua Cheptegei delivered a sizzling final lap to win his second successive world 10,000 metres gold on Sunday, underlining the world record holder’s status as the sport’s number one distance runner.

Cheptegei kept his patience during a fascinating finale as he led a group of eight at the bell but, unlike in last year’s Olympics when he was outkicked on the final lap, he had already been pouring on the pressure and was strong enough to hold off all-comers to win in 27:27.43 minutes. Kenya’s Stanley Mburu, who took a heavy fall on the first lap, finished second in 27:27.90, with Jacob Kiplimo, third in Tokyo, getting another bronze for Uganda in 27:27.97. Fast-finishing Grant Fisher just ran out of track in his bid to win a first medal in the event for the United States, finishing fourth, with Ethiopia’s Olympic champion Selemon Barega unable to repeat his Tokyo fireworks as he finished fifth.

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