Bengaluru, India — Uganda’s Olympic champion Joshua Cheptegei returned to winning form on Sunday, claiming victory at the TCS World 10K Bengaluru 2025 in a time of 27:53.
In a landmark moment for Uganda, compatriot Sarah Chelangat also stormed to victory in the women’s elite race, making it a historic double for the East African nation.
It was the first time Ugandan athletes had ever captured both titles at the prestigious Bengaluru event.
Cheptegei, who came into the race as a clear favourite, lived up to expectations despite facing fierce competition from a youthful field.
After a closely packed contest over the first half, with six runners leading at the 5K mark (14:01), Cheptegei turned on the afterburners in the final stages. He fended off a strong challenge from Eritrea’s 17-year-old sensation Saymon Tesfagiorgis Amanuel, sealing his win by two seconds.
“Coming in as the favourite also puts a lot of pressure, especially when you have a lot of experience,” Cheptegei admitted after the race.
He added: “When you look at guys like Vincent, Gabriel, and young boys like Saymon, it’s tough competition. My advice to the younger runners is: patience pays; it may be painful, but it always pays.”
Saymon finished second with an impressive 27:55, while Kenya’s Vincent Lagat sprinted to third place in 28:02. Tanzania’s Gabriel Geay narrowly missed the podium, clocking 28:03 for fourth.
In the Indian elite section, Abhishek Pal and Sanjivani Jadhav emerged as the top domestic performers in the men’s and women’s categories, respectively. With this powerful showing in Bengaluru, Joshua Cheptegei reaffirms his place among the world’s best road racers.
