Cheptegei rues poor preparations, shifts focus to Worlds

oshua Cheptegei has rued poor preparations after failing to defend his title in the World Cross Country Championship.

Cheptegei was piped to the gold at the 2023 championships in Bathurst, Australia by his teammate and countrymate Jacob Kiplimo.

He finished third after Kiplimo and Ethiopia’s Berihu Aregawi after clocking 29 minutes and 37 seconds. Kiplimo clocked 29:17.

the world 5000m and 10,000m record-holder suffered a tendon injury during the World Athletics Championship in Oregon, USA last year.

He recovered and was only able to compete at the San Silvestre 10km road race in Madrid Spain in January in preparations for Barthust.

“I think it was a good race, especially coming back from injury,” Cheptegei told World Athletics media.

Cheptegei noted that he didn’t have adequate preparations before the race but he now shifts focus to the World Athletics Championships.

“I didn’t have the best preparation, but I’m grateful to come here and finish on the podium. Now I can be reassured I can go focus on the track soon, and especially the coming World Championships.”

The Championship is scheduled to be held from 19 August to 27 August 2023 in Budapest, Hungary.