Uganda has emerged as the overall winner of the 2022 World Mountain and Trail Running Championship held in Chiang Mai, Thailand, after scooping three gold medals.
The event that started on November 3rd up to 6th saw Spain grab the second position while Italy took the third.
During the championship, Uganda dominated both the senior and junior men’s races, filling the podium and grabbing all the four top positions. In the senior men’s race, Uganda scooped both gold and bronze medals.
Samuel Kibet emerged the first, holding a 10-second advantage over Patrick Kipngeno of Kenya, who got silver, while Timothy Toroitich, another Ugandan, won bronze ahead of teammates Leonard Chemonges and Eliud Cherop, who turned 4th and 5th respectively.
In the junior men’s race, Uganda grabbed all three top positions, winning gold, silver, and bronze. Leonard Chemutai won gold, Caleb Tungwet won silver, and Denis Kiplangat took bronze, while another teammate, Silas Rotich, became the fourth.
Uganda also won another gold and silver in the senior women’s race, with Rebecca Cheptegei winning gold and Annet Chelangat Chemengenich grabbing silver. Cheptegei finished the race with a 20-second gap over her teammate Chemengich, and USA’s Allie Mclaughlin won bronze.
The senior races were also both men and women competing over 11,2km, 475m+ course, with a steep, technical loop sandwiched by flat, fast running in and out of Chiang Mai.
The 2023 World Mountain and Trail Running Championships is scheduled for 6th -10th June in Innsbruck-Stubai, Austria.