By Frank Kamuntu
Kampala: The Police Advisory Committee has recommended Inspector of Police (IP) Cheptegei Joshua who broke four (4) World Records in long-distance running competitions, for promotion to his next rank of Assitant Superintendent of Police (ASP).
The Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Martins Okoth Ochola who is the Chairperson of the PAC made the announcement to honour the athlete on Wednesday, 21.10.2020 during the meeting.
READ ALSO: Uganda’s 19-year-old Kiplimo Wins World Half Marathon As Cheptegei Finishes In the Fourth Position
Not only the above but also IGP tasked the Director of Logistics and Engineering to allocate a Double Cabin Pick-up and a Coaster Mini-bus to the Police Athletics team to support their training in Kapchorwa in fulfilment of his earlier pledge.
We would like to add that the police elite athlete has so far had a phenomenal season, where he broke 4 (four) World records. He is now the 5000m World record holder, a double Common Wealth Gold Medalist, and is also the reigning World Cross Country and World 10,000m Champion.
READ ALSO: Breaking: Cheptegei Crowned World Champion Athlete After Breaking 5000M Record
In addition, there are plans to rename a facility at the Police training centre in Kapchorwa and at the Police Training School at Kabalye, Masindi in honour of his achievement.
“Once again we would like to congratulate him for exceptional accomplishments. We believe his promotion to the next rank will not only boost his performance but will inspire many other young police athletes into excelling in their fields, said IGP Ochola.
READ ALSO: Breaking: Cheptegei Breaks 10,000m World Record
Who Is Cheptegei?
Joshua Kiprui Cheptegei (born 12 September 1996) is a Ugandan long-distance runner and 2019 world champion in the 10,000 m and he is the tenth man in history to hold the 5,000 m and 10,000 m world record concurrently, both set in 2020.
In 2017, he became the silver medalist in the 10,000 metres event at the World Championship in London. In 2018, he set a world record for the 15 km road race and became the cross country world champion in 2019.
In 2020, at a road race in Monaco, he set a new world road 5 km record of 12:51, breaking through the event’s 13-minute barrier, taking 9 seconds from the previous best time of 13:00, set by Kenya’s Sammy Kipketer in 2000.
In August 2020, at the Monaco Diamond League meet, he set a new 5000 metres world record of 12:35.36, breaking Kenenisa Bekele’s 16-year-old world record of 12:37.35 set in Hengelo.
On 7 October 2020, in Valencia, he set a world record time of 26:11.00 in the 10000 meters, which again improved on Kenenisa Bekele’s 15-year-old record by more than 6 seconds.
