The parents of Uganda’s Olympic Champion Peruth Chemutai are celebrating her victory.
Chemutai yesterday made history when she won gold in the 3,000m steeplechase with a personal best of 9:01:45 2020, bringing home the first-ever medal by a female Ugandan Athlete in the Olympics.
At the home of her parents in Soymining village, in Tulel Sub County, Bukwo District, there were jubilant scenes of neighbours and relatives celebrating her victory.
Sophie Chesha, Chemutai’s mother says that her daughter’s talent was first noticed when she was in P.3 in 2008. In 2012 after failing to raise money for secondary education and the fact that she had not performed well in the Primary Leaving Examinations, her parents started supporting her career in Athletics.
According to Chesa, Chemutai started training from their home for 10 months before relocating to Kapchorwa where she lived with a friend while she trained.
In 2018, the family was excited when Chemutai joined the Police Athletics Club. While in the club, she represented the Uganda Police Force for two years until 2020 when she was confirmed as a Special Police Constable.
Chemutai’s mother believes that her daughter’s victory is a blessing from God and it has brought honour to the family. She wants the government to build the family a house, buy them land, a vehicle and cows because of their daughter’s triumph.
