KAMPALA, July 4 (Xinhua) -- A Ugandan star athlete who will lead the national team to the 2018 IAAF World U-20 Championship has said his main focus is on winning medals.

Jacob Kiplimo told Xinhua in an interview on Wednesday that he is hungry for medals after failing to win at the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games in Australia.

"I am now hungry to win a medal in Finland. I have been working hard and I am looking forward to the championship," Kiplimo said.

The championship is scheduled for July 10-15 in Tampere, Finland.

The 18-year-old, who won gold in the men's U-20 race at the 2017 IAAF World Cross Country Championships held here, will lead a team of 11 athletes.

"I am optimistic we shall perform well as a team," added Kiplimo.

Early this year, Kiplimo won the 2018 IAAF Cinque Mulini Cross Country in San Vittore Olona, Italy where he beat the Ethiopia's Telahun Bekele by 17 seconds.

Dominic Otuchet, President of the Uganda Athletics Federation, told Xinhua that they are confident the Ugandan team will be among the best in Finland.

"This team is young and many of them have managed to get international exposure before. They will not be new to the big stage," said Otuchet.

Uganda will face other athletes from Kenya, the United States, Canada, China, England, Cuba, Sri Lanka, Lithuania and hosts Finland among others.

The Ugandan squad includes Stella Wonruku, Sarah Chelangat, Peruth Chemutai, Belinda Chemutai, Hosea Kiplangat, Daniel Kiprop, Oscar Chelimo, Jacob Kiplimo, Victor Kiplangat, Albert Chemutai and Denis Cherotich.?