Cheptegei gives a monetary prize for an Olympic medal to fellow competitors.
The 5000m world and Olympic champion Joshua Cheptegei has donated one of his medals at the just concluded games in Tokyo to, Stephen Kiprotich but also part of his cash prize to fellow athletes.
In Japan, Cheptegei won gold in the men’s 5,000m finals and silver in the men’s 10000m finals.
MTN honored Uganda’s athletics team with shs175.5 million on Friday, to be split among the 17 athletes, five coaches, and three administrators who competed in the games.
Peruth Chemutai and Joshua Cheptegei each received shs50 million for winning gold for the country.
Cheptegei will also receive extra sh25 million for his silver medal, and Jacob Kiplimo will receive sh10 million for his bronze medal in the games.
Cheptegei, on the other hand, donated one of his medals to Stephen Kiprotich during the occasion to thank him for being an inspiration, stating he intends to receive another during the 2024 Olympics in Paris.
Part of the shs75 million cash prize money earned from MTN was also given distributed to fellow athletes by the 5000m world champion.
Wim Vanhelleputte, CEO of MTN Uganda, said the athletes were rewarded for raising the country’s flag high.
“The performance of our athletes is a demonstration of growth for Uganda’s athletics. They achieved both as individuals and as a team comprising the coaches and support staff. MTN has also chosen to offer a token of appreciation for the entire team,”Vanhelleputte said.
“We salute the big strides the sport is making, and we remain committed to facilitating the progress and success of Ugandan Athletics through our partnership with the federation.”
Dominic Otuchet, the Uganda Athletics Federation president applauded the telecom company for sponsoring them since 2004.
