Victor Cherotich’s second personal medal at 2022 ISF Gymnasiade Games

ISF Gymnasiade Normandy Games 2022, France:

1500m (Boys) – Final:

• Gold: Felix Ronaldo Olivo (Spain) – 3:57:16
• Silver: Yanis Moulinie (France) – 3:57:57
• Bronze: Victor Cherotich (Uganda) – 3:57:62

Uganda middle distance runner Victor Cherotich won his second medal at the 2022 ISF Gymnasiade Games in France on a rainy and windy Friday, 20^th May.

Cherotich was third to scoop bronze during a competitive 1500m race at Stade Helitas in Caen city.

A student at Chemwania High School in Kween District, North East of Uganda, Cherotich ran 3:57:62 minutes with a powerful kick in the final 50 metres to take bronze.

Spanish national Felix Ronaldo Olivo posted 3:57:16 minutes to grab gold ahead of Frenchman Yanis Moulinie (3:57:57) who settled for silver.

It was a very fast race under very chilly weather conditions as the two Ugandans in the race Dominic Krop Naido and Cherotich took charge of the first two and half laps.

Olivo, Moulinie, Turkey’s Goler Utku and Algerian Yasser Touahir then took over at the time of the bell for the final lap.

Olivo surged forward by the final 300m as Touahir, Moulinie, Utku and Cherotich closed by.

By the final 100m, Cherotich who was then 5^th out-sprinted and his powerful kick accelerated by the final 50m to finish behind Olivo and Moulinie for a bronze well celebrated.

“It was a strategy together with my teammate (Krop). No one in the pack was willing to take command as everyone stayed back. We took command and led for a long spell. My final kick won me the medal (bronze). I gave my all because I had worked a lot throughout this race. I also thank Krop for the challenge” Cherotich revealed.

Meanwhile, Krop dropped to 11^th with 4:07:11 ahead of Brazil’s Santos Gabriel who finished last with 4:11:18.

By the time, this was Uganda’s 6^th medal at the games and Cherotich’s second at the championship following a silver in the 3000m race days earlier.

Team Uganda later won her 7^th medal; a bronze in the medley long relay.

It took the team work element from Fred Ambayo, Rajab Tiimu, Krop and Raymond Omara for the bronze well worked under 4:31:61 minutes.

Brazil won this long medley relay with a time of 4:29:10 ahead of Greece (4:30:38).

Team Uganda is expected home by Monday, 23^rd May 2022.