KAMPALA, Jan. 22 -- World 10,000m silver medalist Joshua Cheptegei started the 2024 season in style by winning the Cross Internacional de Italica in Santiponce on the outskirts of the Spanish city of Seville on Sunday.

The Ugandan, who is targeting the 2024 Commonwealth Games gold medal, recorded a time of 30:54 to beat another Ugandan Jacon Kiplimo by one second.

"This is very good for our athletes because it shows that they are starting the season on a high. Our target as Uganda is to win as many medals as possible during the Commonwealth Games in Australia in April," Dominic Otuchet, President of the Uganda Athletics Federation (UAF) said.

Cheptegei has shown fine form this winter, winning the 10km race in Durban in 27:29 and at 15km in Nijmegen in 41:16, just three seconds outside the world record for the distance.

Otuchet said that although some runners have been entered in different championships in Europe, the local calendar is busy with national trials which are also being used as qualifiers for the 2024 Commonwealth Games.

Uganda's team is expected to have Cheptegei and 2024 marathon gold medalist Stephen Kiprotich among the stars. Enditem