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Joshua Cheptegei, the 5000m and 10000m world record holder, hopes to get to his best shape.
Cheptegei made the statements after finishing second at the Lausanne Diamond League 5000m race on June 30.
Cheptegei clocked 12:41.61 behind Ethiopia's Berihu Aregawi blazed, who posted 12:40.45 at Lausanne's Athletissima meeting on Friday evening.
Cheptegei's time is the seventh-quickest in history and his own fastest time since setting the world record.
"My goal is to get back to the form I was in before – getting faster race by race – and tonight is proof of that," Cheptegei told World Athletics.
"I still have a lot to improve on, a lot to work on, but if I believe in myself, I will reach my objectives."
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The Ugandan long-distance star only debuted at the Florence Diamond League meeting last month, where he finished fourth, posting 12:52.97.
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At just 26 years old, Cheptegei has already amassed an impressive collection of accolades, including Olympic gold in the 5000m, two world 10,000m titles, and world records in both events.
Cheptegei suffered calf and hamstring injuries during the 5000m heats at the 2022 Oregon, Eugene World Championships, United States, in August last year.
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The injury sidelined him from defending his 5000m and 10000m Commonwealth Games titles that were held shortly after the world games.
Cheptegei then skipped many World Athletics premier events as he solely focused on his recovery process. He holds the 5000m world record of 12:35.36, set on August 14, 2020, in Monaco.
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