Who is Joshua Cheptegei
The short answer
Joshua Cheptegei, born in 1996 in Uganda, is a distance runner who set the world records for 5000 m (12:35.36) and 10,000 m (26:11.00) in 2020. He won Olympic gold in the 5000 m in Tokyo and the 10,000 m in Paris 2024, and three world titles at 10,000 m.
Cheptegei comes from Kapchorwa, on the slopes of Mount Elgon in eastern Uganda, and still trains there at around 2,000 metres. He is coached by Addy Ruiter. He has started moving to the roads and the marathon, debuting in Valencia in 2023.
How he trains
- Altitude, every day. Living and training high in Kapchorwa.
- Big aerobic volume. Most of the week is easy and steady running on dirt roads.
- Long intervals. Reps of 1000 to 2000 m at or around 10,000 m pace and threshold, with short recoveries.
- Speed for the finish. Shorter, faster reps in the weeks before championships, because 10,000 m titles are often won in the last lap.
