Ugandan long-distance star Joshua Cheptegei showed significant progress in his marathon career, finishing ninth at the Tokyo Marathon on Sunday with a time of 2:05:59.
This marked a major improvement from his marathon debut in Valencia two years ago, where he struggled to 37th place with a time of 2:08:59.
The race was dominated by Ethiopia’s Tadese Takele, who took victory in 2:03:23, followed by fellow Ethiopian Deresa Geleta in second place.
Kenya’s Vincent Kipkemoi Ngetich secured third, highlighting the strong presence of East African runners at the event.
Despite his dominance on the track, winning the 5,000m gold at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 and the 10,000m title in Paris last year, Cheptegei is still working to establish himself in road racing.
There were discussions about the challenging temperatures in Tokyo, but Cheptegei refused to make excuses, stating; “I’m so grateful today that I came to Tokyo, regardless, I’m not complaining.”
The 28-year-old sees positives in his performance, adding; “There are some good positives to take home and prepare for another step forward. I’m really satisfied with the result, and it can be a build-up for next season.”
Although he missed a podium finish, Cheptegei’s time of 2:05:59 ensured he met the qualification standard of 2:06:30.
As a result, he will return to Tokyo in September to compete in the World Athletics Championships marathon, marking another important step in his transition from track to road racing.
