Virginia Beach Sports Centre — hailed as the fastest track in the country — was the stage for an electrifying showdown at the 2025 NCAA Indoor National Championships.
Sixteen of the nation’s finest collegiate distance runners lined up under the bright lights, ready to script their names into the sport’s history.
Among them were Kenya’s rising stars, Doris Lemngole of Alabama and Hildah Olemomoi of Florida, both thriving in the U.S. collegiate system under athletic scholarships.
Gone are the days when Kenya’s finest distance talents were plucked straight from high-altitude villages and tossed into elite road races. Now, a new generation of ‘brainy runners’— armed with textbooks in one hand and race bibs in the other — are demolishing competition on the track and mastering the art of balancing world-class athletics with university degrees.
Race of Reluctant Leaders
The race began at a punishing pace, collegiate record ambitions swirling in the air. From the gun, Northern Arizona University’s Berny, representing the Nau Lumberjacks, set the early tempo, controlling the field with a blistering cadence.
Yet, as is tradition in distance racing, no one wanted to take the lead for too long—because why do the heavy lifting when you can outkick everyone in the last lap?
Pamela Kosgey, the freshman prodigy from the University of New Mexico, known for their tenacious ‘UNM Lobos’, hovered in fifth, playing her cards cautiously.
Lexy Halladay-Lowry of Brigham Young University (BYU), a seasoned veteran from the fiercely competitive BYU Cougars, sat comfortably alongside Kosgey, keen on a tactical finish.
Meanwhile, Hildah Olemomoi of the University of Florida, part of the Florida Gators, loitered at the back of the chase pack, biding her time. Lemngole, running for the University of Alabama, the legendary ‘Alabama Crimson Tide’, remained tucked in, testing the field, waiting.
Back home in Kenya, coaches were likely huddled around grainy livestreams, nodding in approval. Their students were learning the fine art of patience—something rarely practiced in the all-out, gut-wrenching tempo of local village road races where the gun goes off and it’s every runner for themselves.
Kenyan Kick Strikes Again
With three laps to go, the tension was palpable. The pack stretched and thinned, yet no one dared break away. At the bell lap, the clock read 14:55, signaling a historic finish in the making.
Lemngole, hailing from Kenya’s Parua village in Ortum, West Pokot, unleashed a devastating sprint. She stormed past Halladay-Lowry, blew by Olemomoi, and rocketed ahead with the kind of ferocity that makes fans wonder if these Kenyan athletes have some sort of turbo button hidden in their spikes.
Her final 400 meters was covered in 69 seconds, but it was her last 200 meters — perhaps the fastest she had ever run — that sealed her coronation.
“I guess it’s my fastest 200 meters ever,” Lemngole said, breathless but beaming. “Coming into this race, I told myself to hang on, to fight in the last 400 meters, the last 800 meters. Everyone here is so competitive, but I believed. I’m just so happy for today, and for everyone who’s been supporting me out there.”
She crossed the line in 15:05.93, arms aloft, the new NCAA Indoor 5,000m champion. Halladay-Lowry (15:06.17) and Kosgey (15:07.57) rounded out the podium, their valiant efforts falling just shy of Lemngole’s masterclass in finishing speed.
Scholarships Reshaping Kenya’s Running Culture
Once upon a time, a talented Kenyan runner’s fate was almost predetermined: win big at junior championships, get scouted by European agents, and find themselves pacing a big-city marathon at a young age, chasing prize money before they even knew what a gym looked like.
The vibrant U.S. collegiate athletic system has created a new breed of Kenyan distance runners—those who are not only breaking records but also securing degrees in the process.
Training on pristine indoor tracks instead of dodging boda-bodas on village roads, learning sports science in lecture halls instead of relying on traditional coaching wisdom, and perfecting tactical race strategies that go beyond just running hard from start to finish.
For Lemngole, Olemomoi, and Kosgey, this is just the beginning. With top-tier training facilities, access to world-class competition, and a chance to expand their horizons beyond running, they symbolize the evolution of Kenyan distance running — a fusion of raw talent, structured coaching, and the kind of patience that turns great athletes into legends.
After clinching the NCAA 5,000m indoor title in a thrilling sprint finish, Lemngole took a moment to express her gratitude and share words of encouragement for the next generation of athletes.
PHPOTO GALLERY BY: John Grenade
“I just want to say thank you to everyone who watched and supported me—it means a lot. This win is not just for me, but for every young athlete out there who dares to dream,” she told Pura Vida Sports in a virtual interview.
“I hope this race serves as motivation for my generation and those coming after us. To young athletes, my advice is simple: work hard in whatever you do. When you get the chance to go to school, take it. Education and running can go hand in hand—you just have to find the right balance. Do not waste time; go to school, work hard, and make the most of every opportunity.”
Lemngole joined Alabama University, home of the legendary Crimson Tide, in August 2023, where she is pursuing a degree in Sports Management.
She trained in Iten before transitioning to collegiate athletics, specializing in the indoor 5,000m and 3,000m. She runs a 3,000m steeplechase in the outdoor competition. Her current personal best in the steeplechase stands at 9:15.
With a powerful finishing kick and a strong academic foundation, Domongolei is proving that Kenyan runners are no longer just champions on the track—they are also leaders in the classroom.
All photo credits: John Grenade, TownHall NCAA accredited photographer
Robert Kibet is a freelance journalist based in Nairobi, Kenya. He previously worked as a correspondent for Milele FM. His feature stories on development, the climate crisis, the environment, conflict, human rights, food security, and education have been published in The Guardian UK, Reuters, IPS, DW, The New Humanitarian, and Equal Times.
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