# Stella Chesang

Stella Chesang (born 1 December 1996) is a Ugandan long-distance runner. She won the gold medal in the 10,000 metres at the 2018 Commonwealth Games.
Chesang earned bronze for the 5000 metres at the 2015 African Under-20 Championships. She represented Uganda at the 2016 Rio Olympics. She is the Ugandan record holder for the 10,000 m and half marathon.

## Background and education

Chesang was born on 1 December 1996 in Serere Village, Benet sub-county, Kween District, Uganda to Juliet Cheptoris and Patrick Kusuro. She is the second born in a family of nine siblings. She attended Benet Primary School before she transferred to Chemwania High School in Kween for her O-Level studies. Later, she graduated from Kyambogo University, with a degree in sports science.

## Police career

During her primary school days, Chesang won all athletic races that she competed in. She was awarded a full academic scholarship during her four-year O-Level studies at Chemwania High School. While in Senior 3, manager of Kapchorwa Athletics Association requested Stella's parents that she goes and lives in his camp, so that she could train with other talented athletes on a regular scheduled basis. It was here that the Uganda Police Force Athletic Club found and recruited her as a police officer and member of the Uganda Police Athletic Club.
Following her winning the gold medal in the 10,000 metres at the 2018 Commonwealth Games, Chesang was promoted from the rank of Special Police Constable (SPC) to the rank of Inspector of Police (IP).

## Athletic career

She won the World Mountain Running Championships in 2015 and the Ugandan Cross Country Championships in 2016.

## International competitions

Representing  Uganda :
| Year | Competition | Venue | Position | Event | Result |
| 2011 | World Cross Country Championships | Punta Umbría, Spain | 39th | U20 race | 21:16 |
| 2013 | World Cross Country Championships | Bydgoszcz, Poland | 14th | U20 race | 19:09 |
| 2013 | World Youth Championships | Donetsk, Ukraine | 4th | 3000 m | 9:11.03 |
| 2014 | World Junior Championships | Eugene, OR, United States | 4th | 5000 m | 15:53.85 NU20R |
| 2014 | African Championships | Marrakesh, Morocco | – | 5000 m | DNF |
| 2015 | Africa Junior Championships | Addis Ababa, Ethiopia | 3rd | 5000 m | 17:04.91 |
| 2015 | World Cross Country Championships | Guiyang, China | 11th | U20 race | 20:37 |
| 2016 | Olympic Games | Rio de Janeiro, Brazil | 25th (h) | 5000 m | 15:49.80 |
| 2017 | World Cross Country Championships | Kampala, Uganda | 18th | Senior race | 34:27 |
| 2017 | World Championships | London, United Kingdom | 24th (h) | 5000 m | 15:23.02 |
| 2018 | Commonwealth Games | Gold Coast, Australia | 1st | 10,000 m | 31:45.30 |
| 2018 | African Championships | Asaba, Nigeria | 4th | 10,000 m | 32:29.54 |
| 2019 | World Cross Country Championships | Aarhus, Denmark | 21st | Senior race | 38:14 |
| 2019 | African Games | Rabat, Morocco | 7th | 5000 m | 15:49.87 |
| 2019 | World Championships | Doha, Qatar | 16th | 10,000 m | 32:15.20 |
| 2022 | World Championships | Eugene, OR, United States | 14th | 10,000 m | 31:01.04 NR |
| 2022 | Commonwealth Games | Birmingham, United Kingdom | 9th | 5000 m | 15:19.01 SB |
| 2022 | Commonwealth Games | Birmingham, United Kingdom | 4th | 10,000 m | 31:14.14 |
| 2023 | World Cross Country Championships | Bathurst, Australia | 10th | Senior race | 34:58 |
| 2023 | World Cross Country Championships | Bathurst, Australia | 3rd | Team | 41 pts |
| 2023 | World Championships | Budapest, Hungary | 16th | 10,000 m | 32:38.90 |
| Mountain races ||||||
| 2014 | African Mountain Running Championships | Obudu, Nigeria | 1st | 8,6 km race | 1:01:31 |
| 2015 | World Mountain Running Championships | Betws-y-Coed, United Kingdom | 1st | 8,9 km race | 37:52 |
| 2015 | World Mountain Running Championships | Betws-y-Coed, United Kingdom | 3rd | Women's team | 28 pts |