KAMPALA, April 8 (Xinhua) -- There was excitement in Uganda on Sunday after its star athlete Joshua Cheptegei won a gold medal at the on-going 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games in Australia.

The country's President Yoweri Museveni on his twitter handle said Uganda was proud of Cheptegei who won the 5,000m race.

Janet Museveni, minister of education and sports said Cheptegei has made Uganda proud.

Edward Kalega, a tennis player was all praise for Cheptegei.

"It is never easy to win a medal at the international scene, but Cheptegei has showed that he has what it takes to win," added Kalega.

Cheptegei who is also the reigning 10,000m world silver medalist is expected to return to Uganda before the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games conclude on April 15.

"Cheptegei will return early in the week as he has to start preparing for a Grand Prix race," Timothy Masaba, the administrator at the Uganda Athletics Federation told Xinhua on Sunday.

Besides track and field events Uganda is also fielding athletes in rugby, netball, squash, badminton, cycling, table tennis, weightlifting, shooting, swimming and boxing.