Kipchoge, Kipyegon to honour Cheptegei’s Xmas Run

Since wrapping up his business on track, long-distance runner Joshua Cheptegei is truly a freer man. By opting to switch his elite running career to the road, his biggest races will be only two marathons in a year.

After competing and winning the Delhi Half-Marathon on October 20, Cheptegei is dedicating more time to his philanthropy path.

Just over a month after staging the Elgon Half-Marathon in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Cheptegei through his Joshua Cheptegei Development Foundation (Jocdef), is continuing his community impact works.

Jocdef on Saturday, December 14, will stage the seventh Joshua Cheptegei Kids Christmas Run in Kapchorwa, Uganda. It will however be a special one as Cheptegei will have the company of fellow elite runners Eliud Kipchoge, Faith Kipyegon and Geoffrey Kamworor.

“Yes,” Cheptegei confirmed to this paper about the trio’s visit, particularly Kipchoge to Kapchorwa this weekend.

Kipchoge, 40, is rated as the world’s greatest marathoner ever and Cheptegei acknowledges him as a role model.

Kipchoge, who has run four of the 10 fastest marathons in history, is also a member of the NN Running Team with Cheptegei, an elite long-distance running unit managed by Dutch company Global Sports Communication.

Kamworor is also a member of NN Running Team with three world half-marathon titles and two world cross-country titles, including the one of 2017 at Kololo when Cheptegei unfortunately lost his lead in front of President Yoweri Museveni.

Cheptegei actually trained with Kipchoge and Kamworor in 2016 before the Rio Olympics in Brazil, not until Global brought coach Addy Ruiter to Kapchorwa as a full-time coach.

Kipyegon, 30, is the reigning three-time 1500-metre Olympic champion and has twice competed in Kampala during the 2014 Africa and 2017 World stages of cross-country.

Kipyegon is also a well-known friend to Ugandan middle-distance runners Winnie Nanyondo and Halimah Nakaayi. The presence of the high-profiled trio is expected to boost the event.

“Last year, we had about 1680 kids but this time, we expect over 2000. We are attracting big guests and other guests from within Uganda,” stated Jocdef’s programs director Abraham Kiplimo.

“Their visit shows the global integration of friendship between the East African sportsmen. It shows that we are one though we compete but sports brings us together,” said Kiplimo.  

“We’ll have a 5km walk race to amplify the message about gender-based violence, involving cultural and religious leaders,” he added.

Kipchoge, Kamworor and Kipyegon are considered mentors and role models to many and they will flag off races like the 2km, 3km, 5km for U16s and the 5km walk race at Boma grounds in Kapchorwa.

Jocdef has over the years picked the best runners from this Christmas Run, and embedded them into their athletics club while younger ones have been offered bursaries at Joshua Cheptegei Junior School.

ABOUT JOCDEF

Full Name: Joshua Cheptegei Development Foundation (Jocdef)

Goal: Transform communities using the tool of sport

Director: Joshua Cheptegei

School Project: Joshua Cheptegei Junior School

Athletics Project: Jocdef Athletics Club

Athletics Events: Elgon Half-Marathon, Cheptegei Christmas Kids Run

School Pupils: 742

Education Scholarships: 120

Junior Runners: 60

Partners: Infinix, TotalEnergies, Stanbic Bank, UNDP, MTN, Curre Sport Safaris

CHEPTEGEI AT A GLANCE

Date of birth: September 12, 1996

Major Races: Half-Marathon, Marathon

Personal Bests: 21km (59:21), 42km (2:08:59)

Coach: Addy Ruiter

Manager: Jurrie van der Velden

Kit Sponsor: Nike

CHEPTEGEI IN 2024

Oct 20: Delhi Half Marathon (1st, 59:46)

Sept 22: Dam tot Damloop (2nd, 45:18)

Aug 2: Paris Olympics 10000m Final (1st, 26:43.14)

May 30: Bislett Games 5000m (9th, 12:51.94)

May 17: LA Grand Prix 5000m (3rd, 12:52.38)

Mar 30: World X-Country (6th, 28:24)

Mar 16: Laredo 10K (2nd, 25:53)

CHEPTEGEI IN 2023

Dec 3: Valencia Marathon (37th, 2:08:59)

Aug 20: Budapest Worlds 10000m Final (1st, 27:51.42)

June 30: Lausanne DL (2nd, 12:41.61)

Jun 2: Florence DL (4th, 12:53.81)

Mar 19: New York Half-Marathon (2nd, 1:02:09)

Feb 18: World X-Country (3rd, 29:37)

CHEPTEGEI IN 2022

Dec 31: NN San Silvestre 10K (1st, 27:09)

Jul 24: Oregon Worlds 5000m Final (9th, 13:13.12)

Jul 21: Oregon Worlds 5000m Heat 1 (4th, 13:24.47)

Jul 17: Oregon Worlds 10000m Final (1st, 27:27.43)

May 27: Prefontaine Classic 5000m (1st, 12:57.99)

Mar 6: Cannes 10K (1st, 26:49)