Olympic steeplechase champion Peruth Chemutai has been appointed captain of Uganda’s national team for the 2026 Commonwealth Cross Country Championships in Glasgow, Scotland.
Athletes in the national contingent proposed Chemutai for the role, and Uganda Athletics later endorsed the selection through the national coaching and technical leadership.
Paul Okello, the national coach and organizing secretary of Uganda Athletics, said Chemutai’s leadership, discipline and positive rapport with teammates earned her the captaincy. Speaking to Uganda Radio Network, Okello said Chemutai has shown steady commitment on and off the track and continues to inspire athletes across disciplines.
“Having an athlete who is a role model in the sport to be a captain like Chemutai motivates teammates, coaches and Uganda Athletics, and the result is success,” Okello said.
The Commonwealth Cross Country Championships will be held in Glasgow from July 23 to August 2, bringing together some of the world’s strongest distance-running nations, including Kenya, Ethiopia, Eritrea and Uganda.
Speaking from the national residential training camp at Kapkoros in Bukwo District, Chemutai welcomed the confidence shown in her by fellow athletes and the federation. She pledged to represent the interests of the team and ensure athletes’ concerns are effectively communicated during the championship. “Since I have been tasked to represent them, I will be as transparent as possible,” Chemutai said.
National team athlete Oscar Chelimo, the 2022 World Championships bronze medallist in the men’s 5,000 metres, described Chemutai as a courageous and dependable leader. “Chemutai is bold and fearless when it comes to addressing matters affecting the national team. She is approachable and understands the challenges athletes face,” Chelimo said.
Uganda’s preparations for the championships are in full swing, with the 17-athlete squad currently in residential training at Kapkoros in Bukwo District under the supervision of national coaches. The team entered camp on July 5 and will remain in training until July 22, when it departs for Scotland. At 26, Chemutai is one of Uganda’s most decorated athletes.
She made history at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games by winning gold in the women’s 3,000-metre steeplechase, becoming the first Ugandan woman to win an Olympic gold medal. She has since represented Uganda at the Olympic Games, World Athletics Championships, Diamond League meetings and other major international competitions. Uganda Athletics officials say the team’s preparations and Chemutai’s leadership will strengthen the country’s bid for medals at the Glasgow championships.
