Uganda’s rising distance-running star Charity Cherop has won bronze in the women’s 3,000m, days after claiming gold in the 5,000m at the 2026 World Athletics Under-20 Championships in Eugene, Oregon.Cherop clocked 8:45.59 to finish third in a tightly contested final dominated by Ethiopia. Yordanos Tsigab won gold in 8:43.65, while her compatriot Shito Gumi took silver in 8:45.06.Cherop stayed with the leading pack as the race entered its decisive stages, but the Ethiopian pair produced a strong finishing kick to take the top two positions. She held on to cross the line third in 8:45.59, adding another medal to Uganda’s haul at the championships.Cherop said the bronze was a reward for her determination and hard work during preparations for the championships.“I am very happy to have won a medal for Uganda. The race was tough, especially in the final stages, but I believed in myself and continued fighting until the finish. This medal gives me more confidence to keep working hard and improve,” Cherop said.The medal adds to Cherop’s growing record on the international stage. At the 2024 World Athletics Under-20 Championships in Lima, Peru, she won silver in the women’s 5,000m before claiming gold in the same event at the 2025 African U20 Championships in Abeokuta, Nigeria.Coach Immaculate Chemutai said Cherop’s performance reflects her growing maturity and ability to compete with the world’s leading young distance runners.“Charity has worked very hard for this medal. We knew the race would be competitive, but she remained disciplined and followed the plan. Finishing third at this level is a very good achievement, and we shall use this experience to prepare her for the next stage of her career,” Chemutai said.The post After 5,000m gold, Cherop bags bronze in 3,000m appeared first on The Observer Media Ltd.