By Rogers Wanambwa 

KIU, Main Campus – 19-year old long-distance runner Jacob Kiplimo stunned favourite Selemon Barega of Ethiopia to win the5000m race of IAAF Golden Spike 2020 Athletics meeting in Ostrava in a meeting record of 12:49:08 on September 8 in the city of Ostrava in the Czech Republic. 

 Many Ugandans on Tuesday night took to social media to celebrate Kiplimo’s superb victory which came hot on the heels of Joshua Cheptegei’s World Record run in the 10,000 M in Monaco, France last month.

“Hearty congratulations Jacob Kiplimo upon winning the 5000-metre race today at the 2020 Ostrava Golden Spike in Czechia. We appreciate your efforts. Keep it up and God bless you,” the First Lady, Hon Janet Kataha Museveni tweeted last night.  

Over 3,000 spectators were allowed entry into Mestsky Stadium to help celebrate the meeting’s 59th edition and they watched on as the 19-year old Kiplimo beat his fiercest opponent for the night.

“I wanted the fast time so I kept on pushing,” Kiplimo told reporters, adding that “it was a fight in the home straight. And it was wonderful.” 

Kiplimo won Uganda's first-ever gold medal at a World Cross Country Championships, producing a performance of a lifetime to win gold in the men's U20 race at the 2017 IAAF World Cross Country Championships in Kampala at the age of 16. 

Jacob Kiplimo remains the youngest ever competitor for Uganda at the Olympic Games at the age of 15.