Just like his compatriot, Sthen Kiprotich, did four years ago at the London Olympics where he scaled Kenyan and Ethiopian hurdles to make history as the first Ugandan man to win an Olympic marathon gold, Timothy Toroitich will also be aiming to make history at the fourth IAAF Bronze Label
Okpekpe international 10km road race as the first Ugandan to win the title.
Kenyans won two of the last three titles on offer courtsey Moses Masai’s win (29 mins 39 seconds) in 2013 at the inaugural edition of the race and Korio Alex Olotptip win last year while Ethiopia’s Teshome Mekonnen won in 2014, setting a new 28 minutes, 35 seconds All-Nigeria and Course record.
Toroitich, whose first attempt at the Okpekpe title was thwarted by Masai at the inaugural edition of the race and settled for the silver medal, is one of the six gold level elite male runners confirmed for tomorrow’s race and will have to contend with the Kenyan duo of Simon Cheprot and Edwin Kiprop Kiptoo who placed sixth and ninth, respectively, and won a team gold at the IAAF/Cardiff University World Half Marathon Championships in Cardiff, Wales last March and Morris Munene Gachaga who is the only man in the elite race cast to have broken 28 minutes this year.
Also ready to gate-crash the Kenyan and Ethiopian party is South Africa’s Gladwin Mzazi who, like the Kenyans, is also a gold level elite runner. Mzazi will draw inspiration from his countryman, Josia Thugwane, who defied the Kenyan, Ethiopian and Asian odds to win the Olympic marathon gold in 1996.
Ethiopia will have the duo of Alemu Hungegnaw, a former winner at the Obudu mountain race and a gold level elite runner as well as Abayneh Degu Tsehay, a silver level runner to help protect the course record set by their countryman Mekonnen in 2014 and reclaim the title he lost last year to Alex Olotptip.
Morocco’s Zakaria Boudad and Tanzania’s Ismael Juma Gallet, both silver level elite runners will be waiting for any slip from the top-ranked
Kenyans, Ethiopians and Toroitich to make an unlikely dash for the title.
In the women’s category it will still be a duel between the Kenyans and Ethiopians who have dominated the last three editions.