Uganda's Moses Ndiema Kipsiro has become the first man since New Zealander Cecil Matthews to complete the Commonwealth 5,000m and 10,000m double after his hard-won victory at the 19th the Commonwealth Games in Delhi India on Monday.
Kipsiro defied the Kenyans first in the 5,000m on Wednesday and again in the 10,000m gold medal race yesterday. The 24-year-old drew inspiration from a phone call phone from President Yoweri Museveni after his 5,000m triumph last week.
Both times he took off at the bell and was never headed despite the best efforts of the three runners from Kenya, for so long the powerhouse of world distance running.
Kipsiro ran the last lap of the 10,000m final in a stunning 53.96 seconds as he clocked 27 minutes 57.39 seconds to relegate Daniel Salel (27:57.57) and Joseph Birech (27:58.58) to the minor medals.
After the race, Kipsiro expressed his delight at winning the double [Men's 5000 and 10000].
"I am very happy and I thank God that he gave me the strength to win the double," Kipsiro said.
"At training two days ago, my leg was hurting. I injured my right hamstring. I applied some gel and got a massage and it didn't affect me tonight."
"I said to my mind that I could beat them [Kenyan opponents]. First part of the race I ran in behind the three Kenyans, then I decided to step up because I wanted to be behind the first runner," he added.
Kipsiro finished second in the 3000m and 5000m at last month's Continental Cup in Split and was also third in the 5,000m at the 2007 world championships in Osaka.
The only other two Commonwealth Games track and field gold medals won by Uganda both came at the 2006 Melbourne Games to Boniface Kiprop in the men's 10,000m and Dorcus Inzikuru in the women's steeplechase.