Olympic champion Joshua Cheptegei will headline Team Uganda at the 2026 World Athletics Road Running Championships due September 19-20, 2026 in Copenhagen, Denmark.
Uganda Athletics (UA) officially unveiled a 16-athlete national team (8 women and 8 men) that will contest for both individual and world’s best team in the three categories – 1 Mile, 5Km and Half Marathon (21km) races.
The championships will also provide upcoming Ugandan athletes vying to step into Cheptegei and Jacob Kiplimo’s shoes a chance to test themselves against the world’s best.
As for Cheptegei, it is an opportunity to further prepare for marathon races since transitioning from track and field.
“We believe this team is strong and ready to compete against the world’s best in Denmark,” Namayo Mawerere, Uganda Athletics Publicity, said.
Team Uganda
Women (21km): Esther Chebet, Esther Chekwemoi Yeko, Annet Chemengich Chelangat and Rebecca Chelangat.
Men (21km): Joshua Cheptegei, Mande Bushendich, Martin Kiprotich and Feb Chelogoi
Women 5km: Charity Cherop and Martha Chemusto
Men 5km: Alex Kiplangat and Kenneth Kiprop
Women 1 mile: Felister Chekwemoi and Patience Cherop.
Men 1 mile: Silas Chemutai and Hosea Kiprop.
Apollo Musherure will lead the team that includes Coaches, Grace Chesang and Alex Malinga.
The championships will not just be about individual performances but also about competing for the title of the world’s best team.
However, the team competition is structured slightly differently depending on whether it is the One Mile and 5K or the Half Marathon.
Half Marathon: In the World Championships Half Marathon, a team consists of three runners from the same country, and the team is determined based on the results posted by the three fastest male or female runners from each country.
Consequently, the three best men’s and women’s teams are identified based on the combined performances.
One Mile and 5K: In the One Mile and 5K, the team competition works a bit differently.
Here, it is a mixed team competition, with each team consisting of two women and two men from the same country.
The team medals are determined based on the results list, meaning the two fastest men and the two fastest women form the team. In other words, the top mixed teams are identified in each distance.
*Additional report by Uganda Athletics
