Victor Kiplangat is a mountain runner, who represents Uganda. He was born on November 10, 1999. His first international victory was when he won gold at the 2017 World Championships in Men’s 13km mountain running event. He again won gold at the 2022 Commonwealth Games, Birmingham, despite taking a wrong turn a mile away from the finishing line.

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In 2021, Kiplangat won the N Kolay Istanbul Marathon in his debut. The N Kolay Istanbul Marathon is a World Athletics Elite Label Road Race. After struggling with three other competitors in the last mile of the race, he recorded a timing of 2:10:18. Robert Kipkemboi of Kenya came in second with a time of 2:10:23, followed by Solomon Mutai of Uganda with a time of 2:10:25. He achieved his largest victory to date. 

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After the win, Kiplangat had said,” I am thrilled to have won my debut marathon. But I knew that I was in good shape. I train in very hilly terrain and was confident that I would be strong in the final section.” The 21-year-old also trains with Joshua Cheptegei, who is the reigning Olympics champion in 5000m. On training with him, he had said,” Joshua is my idol. And he helps me a lot. If I achieve such a time on a flat course I hope to get selected for the World Championships’ marathon next summer. And then I would love to come back to Istanbul to defend my title.”

The Ugandan then won gold in his debut Commonwealth Games marathon. With the win, he delivered Uganda’s first ever gold medal in marathon at the Commonwealth Games. 

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Kiplangat deviated off course in the closing stages after covering more than 40 kilometres of the Birmingham streets, but he had amassed such a big lead that the error had little impact. In two hours, 10 minutes, and 55 seconds, the 22-year-old easily won the race. He beat out 2017 global bronze medalist Alphonce Simbu of Tanzania by more than a minute and a half. He might have beaten the long-standing Games record set by Ian Thompson of England (2:09.12), set in Christchurch in 1974, if not for that brief detour.