Tokyo (AFP)

Boss of the world fund since 2019, Joshua Cheptegei is the big favorite of the 10,000m at the Tokyo Olympics on Friday, but it was enough to see a few ups and downs this year and the emergence of a generation of young runners without complexes. to diffuse the poison of doubt.

What face will the Ugandan offer during the first big athletics final of these Olympics?

A priori, the world champion and world record holder (26 min 11 sec 00) could seem safe from a bad surprise.

This is without counting the pressing threat of increasingly fierce competition and a faltering form, he who aims to sign in Japan an Olympic double 5000 m-10,000 m, like the last great figures of long distances, Kenenisa Bekele (2008) and Mo Farah (2012, 2016).

First there was his failed attempt in the quest for the best performance of all time over 3,000m, an undisputed event in the major championships, on May 19 in Ostrava (Czech Republic). Winner of the race in 7 min 33 sec 24, Cheptegei, diminished by a bacterial infection, had not managed to approach the staggering stopwatch achieved in 1996 by the Kenyan Daniel Komen (7 min 20 sec 67). A first warning for the 24-year-old runner who had nevertheless dared to assert the day before that the Kenyan's time was not "untouchable".

But the biggest alert came on June 10 in Florence in the Diamond League.

For his first 5,000 m since his world record (12 min 35 sec 36, August 14, 2020 in Monaco), Cheptegei thought he could as usual disgust his opponents by taking off halfway but he had ended up cracking and undergo the law of Norwegian prodigy Jakob Ingebrigtsen (20), finishing in a surprising sixth place.

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A sign that the Ugandan, whose last 10,000 m dates back to October 7, 2020, the date of his world record set in Valencia (Spain), is no longer so sovereign.

A data that has not escaped its potentially devastating rivals.

- Wind of youth -

"When you are beaten, it opens up prospects for other runners, AFP analysis French coach Jean-Claude Vollmer. His loss over 5,000 m necessarily sows doubt in his mind and gives hope to his competitors. He is no longer unbeatable and untouchable. "

If Mo Farah did not qualify and the Kenyan Geoffrey Kipsang Kamworor, vice-world champion in the 10,000m in 2015 and ex-world record holder in the half-marathon, is forfeited due to injury, a wind of youth is blowing on the middle distance.

The main danger for Cheptegei is embodied by his compatriot Jakob Kiplimo.

At only 20 years old, the Ugandan became this year the seventh performer of all time over 10,000 m (26 min 33 sec 93) by smashing his personal best of almost a minute.

Half marathon world champion in 2020, he dominated Cheptegei who had only finished fourth.

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The Ethiopians Yomif Kejelcha (23), vice-world champion in the 10,000m, and Selemon Barega (21), second in the 2019 Worlds over 5,000m, should not be underestimated either, as well as the two Kenyans Rodgers. Kwemoi (24) and Rhonex Kipruto (21), world junior gold medalist over 10,000m in 2018.

Jean-Claude Vollmer promises a "very open" race and "a good fight", believing that Kiplimo has "higher potential" than Cheptegei and betting on a "team tactic" from the Ethiopians.

"It's a championship, there will be no hares or light guidance to make a world record, notes the technician. Cheptegei impressed in 2019 but he is no longer the ultra-favorite. He is no longer the ultra-favorite. is weaker than before. "

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