The World Athletics Championships 2023 will be held in Budapest from August 19 to 27.
The following are the top three contenders for the gold medal in the men’s 10,000m event.
Joshua Cheptegei (Uganda)
The two-time defending champion, Uganda’s Joshua Cheptegei, will strive for his third consecutive world 10,000m title in Budapest.
The current world no. 1 also holds the world record in this event. His extraordinary timing of 26:11.00s achieved in Valencia in 2020 is still over six seconds better than the second best.
Cheptegei, one of the event’s all-time greats, will pose a significant threat to all opponents, despite missing the 10k event earlier this season due to injury.
PB - 26:11.00s Estadio de Atletismo del Turia, Valencia (ESP) October 7, 2020
SB - Nil
Berihu Aregawi (Ethiopia)
FILE PHOTO: Berihu Aregawi of Ethiopia. | Photo Credit: Getty Images
Ethiopian racer Berihu Aregawi is a big threat to Cheptegei’s hopes for the third gold at the Worlds in a row.
The 22-year-old recently ran the fifth-fastest men’s 5000m in track history on Friday to beat Cheptegei at the Athletissima meet.
He also enters the championship with a world-leading time of 26:50.66s.
PB - 26:46.13s FBK Stadium, Hengelo (NED) June 5, 2022
SB - 26:50.66s Estadio Enrique Lopez Cuenca, Nerja (ESP) June 23, 2023
Selemon Barega (Ethiopia)
FILE PHOTO: Selemon Barega of Ethiopia. | Photo Credit: Getty Images
Just behind compatriot and countryman Aregawi is Selemon Barega, who will try to keep the Ethiopian hope for a gold alive in Budapest.
The current Olympic champion, Barega is looking in good shape as he finished second in Nerja (Spain), clocking an impressive 26:51.87s, which also puts him second in the world-leading time this season.
The 23-year-old is neck and neck with Aregawi and will hope to race past him for gold just like he did in Tokyo.
PB - 26:44.73s - FBK Stadium, Hengelo (NED) June 5, 2022
SB - 26:51.87s Estadio Enrique Lopez Cuenca, Nerja (ESP) June 23, 2023
Benard Kibet (Kenya)- Dark Horse
FILE PHOTO: Benard Kibet Koech of Kenya. | Photo Credit: Getty Images
Benard Kibet is the current world no. 15 in men’s 10,000m race. The 23-year-old from Kenya is not even in the top five of world-leading time this season.
His 27:07:71 only puts him sixth on the starting list, but the Kenyan is not very far from the rest of the pack and has an impressive personal best of 26:55:04, which he recorded last year in Yokohama, Japan.
Kibet would be the dark horse in the event.
PB - 26:55.04 NITTAIDAI Athletic Stadium, Yokohama (JPN) October 1, 2022
SB - 27:07.71 Honjo Athletic Stadium, Kitakyushu (JPN) May 20, 2023
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