Olympics
Andrew Oryada, Special to ESPN 5y

Cheptegei fighting fit after Durban 10k victory

Olympic Sports

Star long distance runner Joshua Cheptegei is steadily getting back to form and feels he is "in shape to break records" as he returns from injury.

The Ugandan, who aggravated a knee injury during the Commonwealth Games in Australia this year, missed several legs of the IAAF Diamond League, as well as the recent African Championships in Nigeria.

This weekend, together with fellow Ugandan Stella Chesang, they recorded the fastest times at the second annual Durban 10k CitySurfRun. Chepetegi crossed the line in 27:16, bettering his record at the same race last year by 12 seconds.

"I'm very glad that I feel much better now, after recovering from a knee injury. I am getting back in shape to break records," Cheptegi, who won the 5km and 10km events at the Gold Coast, told KweséESPN.

"The knee is now 100% better and the time I ran in the Durban event shows that I am in good shape."

Cheptegei is expected to compete in IAAF Gold Road Label and Grand Prix races through out the season, and says he is determined to be the world's fastest athlete in the 10,000m race. Last year he came second to Mo Farah at the World Athletics Championships in London.

Dominic Otuchet, president of the Uganda Athletics Federation (UAF) told KweséESPN that having Cheptegei return after injury is very good news.

"We trust that once in good from and free from injury Cheptegei has what it takes to keep breaking records in his 5,000m and 10,000m races," Otuchet said.

^ Back to Top ^