Tokyo Olympics Athletics: Joshua Cheptegei wins gold in 5000m race

Chepetgei, who won a silver in the 10,000m race, was in the leading pack for most of the race and won in 12 minutes, 58.15 seconds.

Joshua Cheptegei of Uganda celebrates after winning a gold medal in the men's 5000m final at the Tokyo Olympics on Friday.

Joshua Cheptegei of Uganda won the gold medal in the men’s 5,000-meter race a week after earning silver in the 10,000m at the Tokyo Games.

Chepetgei was in the leading pack for most of the race and won in 12 minutes, 58.15 seconds.

READ: India's 4x400m relay team breaks Asian record but misses cut for final

Mohammed Ahmed of Canada surged into second place to get the silver medal in 12:58.61 and Paul Chelimo of the United States picked up bronze in 12:59.05.

Chelimo was a silver medalist in the 5,000 at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics. He dived across the line to edge Nicholas Kipkorir Kimeli of Kenya.