Despite finishing a distant third behind rivals Kenya, the big winners at Sunday’s World Cross Country championships , Ugandans on social media and the press have Tuesday continued to shower praise on sixteen-year-old Jacob Kiplimo , the country’s first ever gold medal at a World Cross.
A member of the Sebei ethnic group, Kiplimo who was born in November 2000 grew up in Bukwo on Mount Elgon, living at high altitude.
The world U20 10,000m bronze medallist last year, Kiplimo came into the race as the host country’s best chance of an individual medal following his brilliant performance which saw him win the Ugandan Cross Country Championships on this same course.
Congratulations to 16 year old, Jacob Kiplimo on winning the Gold medal in the U20 race at IAAF Kampala 2017 World championship race. pic.twitter.com/OkMLvdPRrO
— Great Lakes Safaris (@SafarisUganda) March 27, 2017
Congratulations to Jacob Kiplimo for winning the first ever gold for Uganda at the World Cross Country Championships. Well done!! pic.twitter.com/ZYgdmhebNn
— Patrick Bitature (@patrickbitature) March 27, 2017
With good health, Jacob Kiplimo did us proud. With good health, you can achieve more. With AAR Insurance, good health is possible. pic.twitter.com/lP1VHDDsrv
— AAR Insurance Uganda (@AARInsuranceU) March 27, 2017
Kiplimo covered the 8km course in 22:40, ending the Kenyan and Ethiopian dominance in the event to win the first global title of his career.
On Sunday, Kiplimo went on to cross the finish line in 22:40 with Walelegn three seconds behind to bag silver. Kimunyan joined the podium finishers nine seconds further back.
Jacob Kiplimo is Uganda’s new hero as he wins his country’s first ever world cross country gold in @iaafkampala2017 pic.twitter.com/kHYUYN4WJg
— IAAF (@iaaforg) March 26, 2017
Upon crossing the finish line, Kiplimo who was congratulated by Uganda’s President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni said, “Yes yes yes, I always thought I could win. It was a very good race. When I decided to break away going into the last lap, I knew I was going to win.”
