'It's only about the win'- Olympics champion Joshua Cheptegei set for return at Dam tot Damloop

Olympics champion Joshua Cheptegei is set to make his racing comeback on Sunday marking a pivotal career transition.

Olympics 10,000m champion Joshua Cheptegei is gearing up for his highly anticipated return to road racing this Sunday in the Netherlands as he lines up for the Dam tot Damloop race in Amsterdam.

This marks Cheptegei's first competitive appearance since his golden triumph at the World Championships in Paris 51 days ago, where he further cemented his status as one of the all-time greats in distance running.

The 27-year-old Ugandan star, who holds the world records for both the 5000m and 10,000m, will now shift his focus towards road racing as he embarks on the second phase of his stellar career.

"My target is to just get back to the world of racing, especially road races and be able to win the race," said Cheptegei as per Daily Monitor.

His coach, Addy Ruiter, was equally clear about their goal for this 10-mile (16.1km) race from Amsterdam to Zaandam.

"It’s only about the win," Ruiter emphasized, underlining the competitive fire that still burns within Cheptegei.

This will be Cheptegei’s fourth appearance at the Dam tot Damloop, having previously finished ninth in 2014, second in 2016, and clinched victory in 2018 with a personal best time of 45:15.

Although Sunday’s race marks a return to familiar territory for Cheptegei, it’s also part of a much larger plan as he prepares to transition fully into marathon racing.

Cheptegei made his marathon debut in Valencia last year, where he faced a tough challenge, finishing 37th. But the experience has not dampened his ambition.

For the upcoming race in Amsterdam, Cheptegei and his management team, Global Sports Communication (GSC), see it as a stepping stone towards bigger goals, including qualifying for the marathon at the Tokyo World Athletics Championships in September 2025.

To secure his place, Cheptegei will need to run a marathon next year and post a time under 2 hours, 6 minutes, and 30 seconds.

"We are taking a phased approach to his marathon journey," Ruiter explained.

"The Dam tot Damloop is the first step in laying the foundation for the marathon he will run early next year."

Cheptegei’s transition from track to road racing has been highly anticipated, especially given his remarkable success on the track.

A road race win in Amsterdam will provide a significant confidence boost as he looks to take on the full marathon distance.

The largely flat course from Amsterdam to Zaandam is familiar territory for Cheptegei, and any successful attempt to better his personal best of 45:15 from 2018 will signal strong progress.

"After Paris, I took some time to recover, and now I’m fully focused on this next chapter of my career," Cheptegei shared, reflecting on his strategy.

"The road races and eventually marathons are where I want to make my mark now."

The Dam tot Damloop offers a perfect opportunity for Cheptegei to reintroduce himself to the road racing circuit and gauge his readiness for future challenges.

Following this Cheptegei plans to participate in a half marathon as the next step in his marathon preparation.