Sikowo who represented the Uganda in 3000metere steeplechase during the 2019 World Athletics Championships and 2017 Olympics is expected to set the pace for Cheptegei up to 30 Kilometers.
The reigning 10,000 and 5,000 meter World Record holder, completed the race in 27:51.42 ahead of Kenya’s Daniel Simiu Ebenyo who crossed the finishing line in 27:52.60 micro seconds while Selemon Barega came third in 27:52.72.
“I am happy to return to the French Riviera to start off my 2022 season. It's been two and a half years since the last time I run 10km on the road so will be exciting to see where I am at the moment,” Cheptegei briefly posted on his Twitter handle.
The other nominees include Kenya’s Eliud Kipchoge who also won gold in the Olympics marathon, Norway’s Karsten Warholm who also won gold in 400m hurdles at the Olympics, US’s Ryan Crouser, and Sweden’s Pole Mondo Duplantis.
The Speaker of Parliament has assured Ugandans and sportsmen and women that the sports sector will see an increase and not a decrease in the next sector budget allocation.
Cheptegei has been nominated alongside other five international athletes who include USA’s Basketball player LeBron James, Poland’s football player Robert Lewandowski who plays for German club Bayern Munich, Spain’s Tennis player Rafael Nadal, United Kingdom’s Motor racer Lewis Hamilton, and Swedish pole vaulter Armand Duplantis.
Cheptegei who also won the 10,000m race at the World Championship in Doha in October set a new time of 26 minutes 38 seconds. The previous record was set by Kenya’s Leonard Komon in 2010.
On Sunday by 7pm all social places had been filled to capacity waiting to see Cheptegei compete in the 10,000m final. At Glorious church ministries which was filled to capacity, prayers were conducted for Cheptegei.
Youngster Jacob Kiplimo continued with his good form when he won the Cross Internacional de Itlica in Santiponce, near the Spanish city of Seville on Sunday.
The Chief de Mission of Ugandas team at the just concluded Gold Coast Commonwealth Games in Australia, Beatrice Ayikoru has called on Government to establish programs that motivates athletes to stay in Uganda and avoid disappearing abroad.
Ugandas Halimah Nakaayi has qualified for the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games after winning the 800m race Athletix Grand Prix Series in Johannesburg on Thursday.
Olympic finalist Ronald Musagala has joined Joshua Cheptegei and Abel Sikowo to take part in the inaugural Athletix Grand Prix Series to take place in South Africa in March.
Ugandas Joshua Cheptegei was in good form to win the 2018 Cross Internacional de Itlica 11.1km in Santiponce on the outskirts of the Spanish city of Seville on Sunday.
Ugandas coach Benjamin Longiros has said Joshua Cheptegei was unlucky to pick up a muscle cramp during the mens senior race at the 2017 IAAF World Cross Country Championship on Sunday.
