KAMPALA, Sept. 8 (Xinhua) -- Ugandan star runner Joshua Cheptegei is targeting a strong performance at the 2026 World Athletics Road Running Championships, which will be held in Copenhagen, Denmark, on September 19-20.
The Olympic champion will lead Uganda's team at the championships, where he will compete in the half marathon.
"I have trained well and I am looking forward to performing well in the 21km race that I will compete in. I am also using this Championship to improve my speeds ahead of a marathon race this year," said Cheptegei.
Uganda's 16-member team will compete in the one-mile, 5km and half marathon events.
Cheptegei finished 12th in his first marathon of the year at the 2026 TCS London Marathon, clocking 2 hours, 6 minutes and 39 seconds.
The star runner, who has shifted from shorter-distance events to the marathon, is determined to continue improving his times.
"I keep working hard, learning a lot about marathons and improving on my times. I hope to enter another marathon before the end of the year," added Cheptegei.
Cheptegei opened his 2026 season with a victory at the Burj2Burj Half Marathon in the United Arab Emirates and later won the Absa Run Your City Durban 10K in South Africa.
Cheptegei holds world records in the 5,000 meters and 10,000 meters and won Olympic gold in the 5,000 meters at Tokyo 2020 and the 10,000 meters at Paris 2024. ■