Uganda Long-distance runner Joshua Cheptegei has set off for the Lausanne Diamond League in Switzerland on Friday.
Cheptegei will compete with athletes including Ethiopia’s Selemon Barega, Bekele Belihu, and the 2023 season world lead holder in 5000m Yomiv Kajelcha, Kenya’s Jacob Krop, Martin Kimeli, and Ahmad Muhamad from Canada, among other athletes.
Wanda Diamond League 1500m champion Jakob Ingebrigtsen and 5000m world record holder are among the global superstars set to compete at the sixth leg of the 2023 Wanda Diamond League at Athletissima meeting in Lausanne on June 30th.
Cheptegei is also hoping to claim a second Diamond Trophy in 2023, having become the first Ugandan athlete ever to win the title back in 2019. A year later, the 26-year-old made series history yet again when he set a 5000m world record of 12:35.36 at the Wanda Diamond League meeting in Monaco.
The two distance stars will be joined in Lausanne by another reigning Diamond League champion Femke Bol, who is eyeing a third successive title in the women’s 400m hurdles this season. The Dutchwoman enters the season on fine form, having set a new 400m world indoor record of 49.26 in February.
Following his participation in the first Rome Diamond League, where he finished fourth, Cheptegei has been training in Kapchorwa under the guidance of his Management Coach, Addy Ruiter, and his police club coach, Benjamin Njia.
Cheptegei said that the preparation schedule set by his coaches has improved his fitness level, and is now ready to face off against other World Class Athletes.
Ruiter told media that he expects great performance from the athlete.
“He is Injury free, his health is equally okay so nothing to doubt, let’s just wait for the day and weigh how he is now ahead of Budapest”. Ruiter said.
Benjamin Njia, the Uganda Athletics National, Vice President Technical, believes that the preparation was positive and a great result is a possibility.
Cheptegei will be Uganda’s only contestant at Lausanne after Jacob Kiplimo turned down the invitation.
While Olympic champion Ingebrigtsen, who is also confirmed for the Diamond League meetings in Oslo and Silesia, is out to defend the Diamond Trophy he won for the first time in 2022. The Norwegian has good memories of Lausanne’s Stade de la Pontaise, having clocked a world-leading 3:29.05 there en route to the series title last season.
The home fans will also have plenty to cheer at Athletissima, with Swiss stars Simon Ehammer and Mujinga Kambundji set to compete in the men’s long jump and women’s 100m. Kambundji is a stalwart of the series with seven Diamond League wins under her belt, while Ehammer is still looking for his maiden victory on the circuit.
The Wanda Diamond League is athletics’ premier one-day series, comprising 14 of the most prestigious events in global track and field. Athletes compete for points at the 13 series meetings in a bid to qualify for the two-day Wanda Diamond League Final in Eugene on 16th-17th September.
