Cheptegei Signs Off 2025 in Style with Kolkata 25K Triumph – Sbk Sports Mail

Uganda’s long-distance icon Joshua Cheptegei brought the curtain down on his 2025 season in emphatic fashion after storming to victory at the Tata Steel World 25K in Kolkata, India, on Sunday. The Olympic 10,000 metres champion showcased his class and experience by overpowering a strong international field to claim gold in one of the world’s most prestigious road races.

Cheptegei crossed the finish line in a winning time of 1 hour, 11 minutes and 49 seconds, comfortably holding off a spirited challenge from Tanzania’s world marathon champion Alphonce Simbu. Simbu settled for silver, seven seconds adrift of the Ugandan star, while Lesotho’s Tebello Ramakongoana completed the podium in 1:11:59. From the opening kilometres, Cheptegei imposed himself on the race, dictating the pace with authority and never relinquishing control as he powered through the streets of Kolkata.

The two-time Olympic champion’s victory came at a World Athletics Gold Label event, underlining the significance of the achievement. The Tata Steel World 25K Kolkata holds a unique place in global athletics as the world’s first Gold Label race over the 25-kilometre distance and is widely regarded as the biggest participatory sporting event in East India, attracting elite runners and thousands of recreational athletes alike.

This win also provides a fitting conclusion to what has been a mixed but instructive year for Cheptegei. The Ugandan star began his 2025 campaign with a ninth-place finish at the Tokyo Marathon in March, before rebounding strongly to win a 10-kilometre road race in Bengaluru in April. He later tested himself against the world’s best once again, finishing fifth at the Amsterdam Marathon in October. Notably, Cheptegei, alongside compatriot Jacob Kiplimo, withdrew from representing Uganda at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, a decision that sparked discussion but allowed him to refocus his season on road racing.

As the dust settles on his Kolkata triumph, attention now shifts to the future. With Cheptegei increasingly orienting his career towards road races and marathon distances, Ugandan athletics fans will be keenly watching to see whether the national hero will don the national colours at the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. For now, however, his commanding victory in India stands as a powerful reminder that Joshua Cheptegei remains one of the most formidable endurance athletes in the world and a source of immense