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The dirt track at Chemwania Primary School in Uganda is rarely deserted at sunrise. Even on weekends, a dozen children from the neighborhood get together to train and take advantage of the freshness that bathes the heights of the Kapchorwa district, north of Mount Elgon, on the border with Kenya. At the sight of the white van carrying the Dutch coach Addy Ruiter, the rhythm of the races accelerates – the budding athletes hope to be noticed by the newcomer. And again, it’s a Saturdaysmiled the coach. Usually on weekdays before school there are many more. »
The three athletes accompanying him got out of the vehicle a few kilometers earlier to warm up on the climb of the only paved road in the area. Among them, Joshua Cheptegei, 26, pride of the region and a key figure in long-distance races in international competitions. Holder of the world records for the 5,000 and 10,000 meters, Olympic champion in Tokyo in 2021, the runner won in July, for the second time in a row, the gold medal in the 10,000 meters at the World Athletics Championships held in Eugene, USA.
Arrived in front of the primary school training track, Joshua Cheptegei wasted no time. Closely observed by the few children playing at the edge of the stadium, he immediately takes off his fluorescent yellow running jacket to embark on a series of 400-meter sprints timed by his coach. “At their age, I was already running, but for fun, watching my family’s herd of cows”remembers the sportsman.
It was not until 2012 that he began to dream of a career as a professional athlete, when Stephen Kiprotich, another runner from the region, won gold in the marathon at the London Olympics. “If someone from my region, whom I know, can reach this level, so can I! », then thinks the teenager. Two years later, at 17, Joshua Cheptegei won his first title in the 10,000 meters at the World Junior Championships.
“The local culture has always valued running”
Since then, Mount Elgon has become the epicenter of Ugandan athletics: almost all of the country’s long-distance runners grew up around Kapchorwa, a few dozen kilometers from each other. “The local culture has always valued running, and even more so in recent years, with more and more athletes from the region winning medals”says Addy Ruiter.
In fact, in international competitions, Ugandans storm the podiums. With, to name a few, Peruth Chemutai, specialist in the 3,000 meter steeplechase, who in 2021 became the first Ugandan woman to win an Olympic title, or Jacob Kiplimo, world record holder in the half-marathon, third in the 10,000 meter Tokyo Olympics and the last World Championships.
Newly constructed tracks at several schools are available to athletes
For Addy Ruiter, coach of the Ugandan team for almost seven years, these good performances can be explained by the development of sports infrastructure and the professionalization of runners. Centers have been set up to accommodate the athletes, and recently built tracks in several schools are available to them. “Stephen Kiprotich and the Ugandan runners of his time stayed in centers in Kenya, in Iten or Kaptagat. Now everyone is here in the Elgon area”rejoices the coach.
After training, the athletes return directly to their base in downtown Kapchorwa. Upon arrival, massage session, breakfast and mandatory rest. There are around twenty of them, champions and new talents alike, staying in the dormitories of the guest house. “We see Joshua and the others who eat the same meals as us, who sleep in the same beds, who have the same coach: it motivates us to give everything to reach their level”comments Abel Sikowo, a 23-year-old athlete.
High altitude training centers
In a few months, the center should be relocated to the village of Teryet, about twenty minutes’ drive from Kapchorwa. On the high plateaus of Mount Elgon, the dirt track, already completed, is located more than 2,500 meters above sea level. “It is beneficial for athletes: the body produces more red blood cells to compensate for the lack of oxygen, which then gives an advantage during competitions at lower altitudes”explains Addy Ruiter.
The dormitories of the riders’ residence, currently taken over by the workers, will be able to accommodate around sixty people. “The team should settle before the end of the yearexplains Timothy Masaba, manager of the Joshua Cheptegei Foundation, which finances the project. In a second step, we want to build other facilities: a sports hall, a physiotherapy center and accommodation to invite other groups. »
Less than a kilometer away, a second high-altitude training center, funded this time by the Ugandan government, is under construction. All these new infrastructures have the same objective: to transform the district of Kapchorwa into an international pole of high-level sport. “The region has the capacity to be as recognized as Kenya or Ethiopia, supports Timothy Masaba. We have managed to emerge from the shadows thanks to our results in competitions, and with the new center and the advantages of training at altitude, we hope to be able to attract even more international teams. »
But the center will serve above all to promote sport in the region and to develop new champions in better conditions. “When I started, I had to train in fields full of potholes with shoes bought second hand at the market, recalls Joshua Cheptegei. Today, young people have more opportunities, with sponsors and equipment to train. » His foundation regularly organizes races and events in schools to identify new athletes. More than 80 young people are now in the organization’s network. “It is by focusing on these new talents that Uganda may be able, in five or ten years, to win as many medals as Kenya and Ethiopia”hopes Addy Ruiter.