By Joshua A Bacwa.
Uganda’s long distance runner Mercyline Chelengat will take centre stage at the Olympics in the Women’s 10,000m final on Saturday.
Chelangat who came 13th at the 10,000m 2017 World Championships in London, is greatly remembered for her bronze medal at the distance in the 2018 Commonwealth games at Gold Coast.
Since then, she went off the radar and returned this year after over a two-year absence.
She booked her ticket to the Tokyo Olympics when she clocked 31:15.05 in Hengelo which was inside the qualification bracket time.
Her form and shape will be a big doubt to stun a rich field that has put decent shifts especially this year.
However, she will look to break the National record which stands at 31:06.47 set by Sarah Chelangat at the FBK Summer Competitions in October last year.
Kenya’s Hellen Obiri who won silver at 5000m at the ongoing games and Sifan Hassan (Netherlands) who took gold at the same distance, will be the much fancied to put pressure on pre-race favourite World Record holder Letesenbet Gidey (Ethiopia).
