Africans in sports. Jacob Kiplimo wins Gold in men’s 10,000m. Ugandan athlete Jacob Kiplimo won the 10,000m title at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, England.
The amazing athlete set a record of 27min 09.19sec to earn Uganda’s fifth consecutive gold in this event on the opening night of athletics.
Kiplimo took up the mantle of world Champion Joshua Cheptegei to maintain Uganda’s domination of the event.
The opening night at Alexander Standium, was meant to be highlighted by Cheptegei defending his Commonwealth crown but the Ugandan world record holder opted out to better prepare for the remaining Diamond League races.
That left Jacob Kiplimo, the Olympic and world bronze medallist, alone to face the three man Kenyan team of Kibiwott Kandie, Daniel Ebenyo and Edward Zakayo Pingua.
READ ALSO: Nigerian athlete Tobi Amusan breaks world record at World Athletics Championships
During the race the Kenyans controlled the pace until Kiplimo and Ebenyo broke free of the pack to reduce the battle for Gold to a two-man fight with two laps to run wrote Reuters.
“I think for me winning this Commonwealth Games title was everything, the most important thing for me this season,” said Kiplimo. “But I still have a lot of things to do in the future at the Olympics and world championships.”
With Kiplimo’s superb performance Uganda have now won the men’s 10,000m at every Commonwealth Games since 2006.