Kampala, Uganda - August 08, 2024

Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni attributed East African countries' dominance in long-distance running to the fact that many athletes from the region are born in high-altitude areas, training from a young age in low-oxygen environments, which enhances their lung efficiency.

In what could be deemed one of the most grueling track events of the Olympic Games, Joshua Cheptegei, Uganda's leading athlete and world record holder, clinched gold in the men's 10,000m final at the Paris Olympic Games, recording the fastest time ever in Olympic history at 26:43.14.

In an exclusive interview with China Global Television Network (CGTN), President Museveni shed light on the secret formula behind East African countries such as Uganda, Kenya, and Ethiopia producing the world's top long-distance runners through their training methods.

Museveni also highlighted Uganda's commitment to investing in a high-altitude training center to further elevate the performance of their athletes.

Shotlist:
Kampala, Uganda - Aug 8, 2024:
FILE: Kampala, Uganda - May 12, 2016
1. National flag of Uganda;
FILE: Kampala, Uganda - October 2019
2. Various of cityscape;
Kampala, Uganda - Aug 8, 2024
3. SOUNDBITE (English) Yoweri Museveni, Ugandan President (partially overlaid with shots 4-5):
"We are taking advantage of the higher altitude. This is part of biology. Some of those people who are doing good running are born in mountain areas. If you are born in a mountain area, up in the mountain, the oxygen is less. There's more oxygen at sea level than in the mountain. So, their lungs from childhood learn how to use little oxygen. They have got more efficient lungs. They are all from highland areas who can run those long distances.";
[SHOTS OVERLAYING SOUNDBITE]
FILE: Kampala, Uganda - 2023
4. Various of Uganda's top athlete Joshua Cheptegei training with other athletes;
Kampala, Uganda - Aug 8, 2024
5. Various of interview in progress
[SHOTS OVERLAYING SOUNDBITE];
FILE: Kampala, Uganda - 2023
6. Cheptegei doing warm-up exercise;
Kampala, Uganda - Aug 8, 2024
7. SOUNDBITE (English) Yoweri Museveni, Ugandan President (partially overlaid with shot 8):
"We have built a high-altitude training center in that area where Cheptegei comes from. We have built a training center there, 2,000 something meters above sea level.";
FILE: Kampala, Uganda - 2023
[SHOT OVERLAYING SOUNDBITE]
8. Cheptegei doing warm-up exercise;
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9. Various of athletes doing warm-up exercise.

[Restriction - No access Chinese mainland]