Peruth Chemutai has settled for a silver medal in the women’s steeplechase final at the ongoing Olympics in Paris, France.
Chemutai, who was looking to defend the gold she won at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, looked comfortable clearing the barriers and was fast enough during all the laps but narrowly missed securing the gold with about 50 meters to the finish line.
She finished second after posting 8:53.34, which is a national record. Winfred Mutile Yavi of Bahrain won the race in 8:52.76, while Kenya’s Faith Cherotich concluded the podium finish by finishing third in 8:55.15.
Chemutai, the first Ugandan woman to ever win an Olympic gold medal, has taken Uganda’s medal tally at the 2024 edition in France to two. Joshua Cheptegei won gold in the men’s 10,000m.
Uganda’s athletes have won a total of 13 medals since the country’s Olympic debut in 1956, with all five gold medals coming from athletics. Legendary figures like John Akii-Bua and Stephen Kiprotich have paved the way for recent medalists like Peruth Chemutai and Joshua Cheptegei.
