TCS World 10K Bengaluru — Cheptegei returns to familiar territory to turn over new leaf in career

The city of Bengaluru and the TCS World 10K hold great significance to Joshua Cheptegei. It was in 2014 when a young Cheptegei travelled here, in what was his first overseas trip.

He competed hard in the international elite men’s field, and finished a creditable second behind his mentor, Geoffrey Kamworor.

10k Elite winner Geoffrey Kamworor Kipsang (KEN), along with Joshua Cheptegei (UGA) and Kinde Atanaw (ETH), at TCS World 10K Bangalore 2014 run, in Bengaluru
| Photo Credit:
K. Murali Kumar/The Hindu

That showing gave him immense confidence going into the 2014 World Junior Athletics Championships, where he claimed the 10,000m gold.

The Ugandan then went to have a stellar senior career, studded with two Olympic gold medals (2020 Tokyo 5,000m, and 2024 Paris 10,000m). He is also the current 5,000m and 10,000m world record holder.

Now back to compete in the TCS World 10K after 11 years, Cheptegei turned nostalgic when asked about his maiden appearance in Bengaluru.

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“The 2014 TCS World 10K was the starting point for me – it opened opportunities for me. After that run, I was a changed person. I could mentally focus and chase my dreams. I was fully determined to conquer the world,” Cheptegei said here on Friday.

The 28-year-old has now left the track behind to focus on road races.

“My priority is more on the roads. I think I’ve done a lot on the track, and maybe it’s time for me to move on. In this next chapter of my career, I felt I needed to go back to Bangalore and start over again.

I hope that this half of my career turns out great, and that is why I wanted that good feeling I get in Bangalore,” Cheptegei said.

Cheptegei celebrates winning gold in 10,000m men at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, France.
| Photo Credit:
AP

Cheptegei rated the 2024 Olympics 10,000m gold as a career highlight. Having claimed silver in the event in the previous edition, he was solely focused on grabbing the top prize in Paris.

“It was so surprising that I had never won an Olympic title in the 10,000m because that is my best event.

“I was not going to end my track career happily without winning the 10,000m. I went to Paris with one goal – win the 10,000m gold, not any other medal,” Cheptegei said.