The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
It has been disappointing so far, but Uganda’s search for glory at the Games of the XXXI Olympiad continues Monday with the steeplechase runners seeking a place in the final.
Benjamin Kiplagat and Jacob Araptany will run in heat 1 and 3 in a race that is dominated by the Kenyans. Even before the final, it looks already like the battle will be for any other medal – if any at all – other than gold.
For the last 36 years, the Kenyans have won gold in the 3000m steeplechase, and in 1992 and 2004, made it a 1-2-3.
Led by defending champion Ezekiel Kemboi, their stars include former junior champion Conseslus Kipruto who has the year’s season’s best of 8:00.12.
Uganda’s best steeplechase runner Kiplagat will have to clock his best ever time of 8:03.81 to challenge them, but he first must qualify for the final. His best performance was five years ago in 2010, and with a season best of 8:20.35, the 27-year-old will hope for a performance that gets him one of the best finishers places.
The top 3 in each heat, and six best finishers in the 3 heats makes the final.
Cheptegei best Ugandan so far
Uganda’s best performance so far has come from 19-year-old Joshua Cheptegei who finished 10th in the 10,000m final that won was Britain’s Mo Farah. He gets another shot when he runs his favourite race, the 5000m.
Other notable performances have come from Peruth Chemutai in finishing 7th, and getting a 17th ranking with a personal best in her steeplechase heat while marathoner Adero Nyakisi could only manage 68th. Juliet Chekwel would have had a better result if she had finished the 10,000m final.
The boxers failed to make any impact in the preliminary rounds, same as the swimmers.
Monday August 15
Men’s 3000m steeplechase round 1 – 4.25pm
Benjamin Kiplagat and Jacob Araptany
Tuesday August 16
Women’s 5000m round 1 – 3.30pm
Juliet Chekwel and Stella Chesang
Men’s 1500m round 1 – 4-30pm
Ronald Musagala
Wed August 17
Men’s 5000m round 1 – 4.05pm
Jacob Kiplimo, Phillip Kipyego and Joshua Kiprui Cheptegei
Women’s 800m round 1 – 4.55pm
Halimah Nakaayi and Winnie Nanyondo
Men’s Steeplechase final
Thursday August 18
Men’s 1500m semifinal
Women 800m semifinal
Friday August 19
Women’s 5000m final
Saturday August 20
Men’s 1500m final
Women’s 800m final
Men’s 5000m final 3.30pm
Jacob Kiplimo, Phillip Kipyego and Joshua Kiprui Cheptegei
Sunday August 21
Men’s Marathon final 3.30pm
Solomon Mutai, Jackson Kiprop and Stephen Kiprotich
Steeplechase heats line up
| ORDER / LANE | BIB | ATHLETE | COUNTRY | SB 2016 | PB |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2183 | Mitko TSENOV |  BUL |
8:21.34 | 8:20.87 |
| 2 | 2010 | Ali MESSAOUDI |  ALG |
8:27.99 | 8:27.99 |
| 3 | 2167 | Nelson Kipkosgei CHERUTICH |  BRN |
8:26.23 | 8:22.24 |
| 4 | 2200 | Matthew HUGHES |  CAN |
8:20.63 | 8:11.64 |
| 5 | 2658 | Kazuya SHIOJIRI |  JPN |
8:31.89 | 8:31.89 |
| 6 | 2389 | Hailemariyam AMARE |  ETH |
8:21.10 | 8:21.10 |
| 7 | 2678 | Ezekiel KEMBOI |  KEN |
8:14.19 | 7:55.76 |
| 8 | 2467 | Rob MULLETT |  GBR |
8:22.42 | 8:22.42 |
| 9 | 2364 | Sebastián MARTOS |  ESP |
8:19.33 | 8:18.31 |
| 10 | 2092 | Jeroen D’HOEDT |  BEL |
8:31.54 | 8:30.03 |
| 11 | 2599 | Yuri FLORIANI |  ITA |
8:30.03 | 8:22.62 |
| 12 | 3052 | Hillary BOR |  USA |
8:24.10 | 8:24.10 |
| 13 | 2995 | Halil AKKAS |  TUR |
8:53.53 | 8:18.43 |
| 14 | 3016 | Benjamin KIPLAGAT |  UGA |
8:20.35 | 8:03.81 |
| 15 | 2740 | Soufiane ELBAKKALI |  MAR |
8:14.41 | 8:14.41 |
| ORDER / LANE | BIB | ATHLETE | COUNTRY | SB 2016 | PB |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2743 | Hamid EZZINE | MAR |
8:19.31 | 8:09.72 |
| 2 | 2594 | Abdoullah BAMOUSSA | ITA |
8:32.54 | 8:32.54 |
| 3 | 2211 | Chris WINTER | CAN |
8:27.18 | 8:26.55 |
| 4 | 2379 | Kaur KIVISTIK |  EST |
8:33.75 | 8:32.23 |
| 5 | 2391 | Chala BEYO | ETH |
8:17.84 | 8:17.84 |
| 6 | 2172 | John Kibet KOECH | BRN |
8:09.62 | 8:09.62 |
| 7 | 2340 | Yemane HAILESELASSIE |  ERI |
8:22.52 | 8:22.52 |
| 8 | 2366 | Abdelaziz MERZOUGUI | ESP |
8:26.15 | 8:18.03 |
| 9 | 2430 | Mahiedine MEKHISSI |  FRA |
8:20.10 | 8:00.09 |
| 10 | 2683 | Brimin Kiprop KIPRUTO | KEN |
8:19.33 | 7:53.64 |
| 11 | 3076 | Evan JAGER | USA |
8:15.26 | 8:00.45 |
| 12 | 3120 | José PEÑA |  VEN |
8:26.36 | 8:20.87 |
| 13 | 3005 | Aras KAYA | TUR |
8:29.91 | 8:29.91 |
| 14 | 2946 | Abdalla TARGAN |  SUD |
8:31.20 | 8:31.20 |
| 15 | 2013 | Bilal TABTI | ALG |
8:20.26 | 8:20.26 |
| ORDER / LANE | BIB | ATHLETE | COUNTRY | SB 2016 | PB |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 3014 | Jacob ARAPTANY | UGA |
8:29.60 | 8:14.48 |
| 2 | 2205 | Taylor MILNE | CAN |
8:26.97 | 8:19.90 |
| 3 | 2130 | Altobeli DA SILVA |  BRA |
8:28.56 | 8:28.56 |
| 4 | 2312 | Ole HESSELBJERG |  DEN |
8:30.51 | 8:30.51 |
| 5 | 2748 | Hicham SIGUENI | MAR |
8:20.53 | 8:16.54 |
| 6 | 2859 | Krystian ZALEWSKI |  POL |
8:19.91 | 8:16.20 |
| 7 | 2315 | Mohamed ISMAIL IBRAHIM |  DJI |
8:23.77 | 8:23.77 |
| 8 | 3055 | Donald CABRAL | USA |
8:20.72 | 8:13.37 |
| 9 | 2990 | Amor BEN YAHIA |  TUN |
8:20.72 | 8:14.05 |
| 10 | 2399 | Tafese SEBOKA | ETH |
8:17.75 | 8:17.75 |
| 11 | 2425 | Yoann KOWAL | FRA |
8:17.83 | 8:12.53 |
| 12 | 2003 | Hicham BOUCHICHA | ALG |
8:23.51 | 8:20.11 |
| 13 | 2350 | Fernando CARRO | ESP |
8:33.69 | 8:21.78 |
| 14 | 2684 | Conseslus KIPRUTO | KEN |
8:00.12 | 8:00.12 |
| 15 | 2994 | Tarik Langat AKDAG | TUR |
8:34.64 | 8:08.59 |
