Uganda’s remarkable reign in the men’s 10,000m at the Commonwealth Games came to an end on Tuesday after the team failed to secure a podium finish on day two of the athletics competition at the EDF Scotstoun Stadium.
Samuel Simba Cherop was the best-placed Ugandan in seventh place, while Dan Kibet and Oscar Chelimo finished 11th and 12th respectively as Australia’s Ky Robinson claimed gold ahead of India’s Gulveer Singh, with the Isle of Man’s David Mullarkey taking bronze.
The result ended an era of Ugandan dominance in the event. Uganda had won the men’s 10,000m title at each of the last five Commonwealth Games editions, beginning with Boniface Kiprop in Melbourne in 2006. Moses Kipsiro successfully defended the crown in Delhi (2010) and Glasgow (2014), Joshua Cheptegei triumphed on the Gold Coast in 2018, before Jacob Kiplimo extended the streak in Birmingham in 2022.
The last non-Ugandan to win the Commonwealth Games men’s 10,000m title before Robinson was Kenya’s Wilberforce Talel in Manchester in 2002, when Uganda did not field a competitor.
Earlier in the day, Uganda experienced mixed fortunes in the 400m heats. Leni Shida and Banura Maureen advanced to the women’s semifinals, but Eric Okwi and Haron Adoli were both eliminated in the men’s event.
Athletics coach Paul Okello blamed the changing weather conditions for the contrasting results.
“The girls ran at around 10am in good conditions, but by the time the men started, the rain had altered the conditions,” Okello said.
Attention now shifts to Wednesday’s programme, with Silas Chemutai and Domenic Kirop targeting places in the men’s mile final. Halima Nakaayi will contest the women’s 800m semifinals before Olympic champion Peruth Chemutai chases a first Commonwealth Games steeplechase title after winning bronze in Birmingham in 2022.
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