Prisca Chesang ensured Team Uganda did not leave the Kenyan capital empty-handed after she fought to secure 5000m bronze on the final day of the 18th World Athletics U20 Championships last week.
Lining-up in a 10-lady field with counterpart Scarlett Chebet, Chesang lived up to the medal-favourite tag billing and duly delivered a third-place finish in a time of 16 minutes and 21.78 seconds.
“I’m so happy,” said the 18-year-old, country’s revelation of the sport this year. This was Uganda’s 14th medal in championship history, also implying the country has won something at each of the last four editions stretching back to Oregon 2014.
Bidding to cover up for the 3000m medal miss after a painful fourth place last week, Chesang followed Ethiopian pairing of eventual winner Mizan Alem and Melknat Wudu with three laps left.
“In the 3000m, they left me with 600m to go but here, I had to fight,” the Uganda Wildlife Authority club runner said.
“Today, I still felt a bit of fatigue from the Tokyo Olympics and I had just one week to train for Nairobi.
“But I am happy to win this medal. I want to focus on next year; may be do cross-country, World Championships and Commonwealth Games.”
Chesanga is the fourth female runner to win for Uganda a medal at the junior championship after Peruth Chemutai (2018), Annet Negesa (2010) and Dorcus Inzikuru (2000).
Alem won gold in a time of 16:05.61 while Wudu took silver in 16:13.16. Chebet was 10th in 17:36.26.
Chesang’s medal however needed an extra hour to be confirmed after the race. She had been disqualified alongside Wudu, allegedly for having stepped out of the line during action.
Team Uganda appealed and together with the Ethiopian officials, the decision was rescinded.
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