By Ahmad Muto
Singer Eddy Kenzo’s song Sitya Loss got a spin at the ongoing Tokyo Olympics after Joshua Cheptegei scooped gold in the 5,000 metre race on Friday, August 6, 2021. He led the pack for a huge fraction of the race and won clocking 12:58:15. He beat Canada’s Mohammed Ahmed who came second followed by US’s Paul Chelimo.
This comes days after he won silver in the 10,000 metres at the Games and two days after Peruth Chemutai also won Gold in the women’s 3,000 metre steeplechase.
The song was played shortly after Eddy Kenzo put up a tweet congratulating him: “I present to you Golden @joshuacheptegei1 thank you always for giving this beautiful flag pride. Am so proud of you Brother.”
Ugandans took to social media to share their excitement upon Cheptegei winning gold, but also upon their own song getting played at such a huge global event.
Sports scribe Aisha Nassanga tweeted: “Sitya Loss by Eddy Kenzo plays here at the Olympics National Stadium in #Tokyo2020.”
@nasawali_: “I thought hearing the Uganda national anthem at the Olympics was beautiful until I heard Kenzo’s Sitya Loss play as golden boy Cheptegei received his gold medal.”
@marto_oke: “Whoever played Sitya Loss in the stadium after @joshuacheptegei1 medal ceremony also deserves a Nile Special.”
Released six years ago, the song has so far earned 36 million YouTube views. Sitya Loss is largely the song that unlocked Eddy Kenzo’s current success as an artiste. It also propelled the sensational dance group, Triplets Ghetto Kids to global stardom getting to perform alongside US rapper French Montana, featuring on the cover of Vibe Magazine and working with US singer Chris Brown.
