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Ednah Kurgat

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Ednah Kurgat
Kurgat competes at the Payton Jordan Invitational in 2019
Personal information
Born(1991-06-15)June 15, 1991(age 33)[1]
Eldoret,Kenya
Height5 ft 7 in (1.70 m)
Weight110 lb (50 kg)
Sport
CountryUnited States
SportAthletics
Event(s)1500 m,5000 m,10,000 m
College teamLiberty University Lady Flames
New Mexico Lobos
Turned proMay 2020
Achievements and titles
Personalbests
Medal record
Women'sathletics
Representingthe United States
Pan American Games
Bronze medal – third place 2023 Santiago 10,000 m

Ednah Kurgat(born June 15, 1991)[1]is a Kenyan-born Americanmiddle-andlong-distance runner.She won the2017 NCAA Division I Cross Country Championshipswhile competing for theUniversity of New Mexico.In October 2023, Kurgat represented the United States in the10000 metresat thePan American Games,winning a bronze medal. She is a member of theU.S. Army World Class Athlete Program.

Early life and emigration to the United States

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Kurgat attended Biwott Ng’elel Tarit Secondary School inEldoret, Kenya.[2]Initially, her decision to join the track team in the ninth grade was driven more by social factors than a serious interest in athletics.[3]However, her perspective shifted as she realized that running could offer opportunities for studying abroad. In 2014, an assistant coach atLiberty Universityrecruited Kurgat to run for the school inLynchburg, Virginia.For Kurgat, who had never traveled outside of Africa, relocating to Lynchburg marked a major adjustment, especially to the colder climate.[3]

Running career

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College

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Kurgat began competing for Liberty University in fall 2016. She finished 12th at the2016 NCAA Division I Cross Country Championshipsand placed 4th in the5000 mat the2016 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships.After her freshman year, she transferred to theUniversity of New MexicoinAlbuquerque,drawn by the opportunity to join a more competitive team and the warmer climate, a contrast to Lynchburg, Virginia.[3]However, due to NCAA transfer rules, Liberty University did not grant Kurgat immediate athletic eligibility at her new university, requiring her to take a mandatory year off from competition.[2][4]Consequently, she had toredshirt,sitting out the fall 2016 cross country season and the spring 2016 track season.

Kurgat resumed competition for the University of New Mexcio in fall 2017. She won the2017 NCAA Division I Cross Country Championships,held atE.P. "Tom" Sawyer State ParkinLouisville, Kentucky.[4]Her time of 19:19.5 was a course and meet record. Kurgat’s victory also helped lead her team, theNew Mexico Lobos,to a first-place finish. Following her victory, theU.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Associationnamed Kurgat its National Athlete of the Year.[5]

In the2018and2019 NCAA Division I Cross Country Championships,Kurgat failed to replicate her win from 2017, however, she recorded two finishes in the top ten, finishing 5th and 9th, respectively. Other notable results include Kurgat setting a personal best for of 15:14.78 for the indoor 5000 m indoors on 1 December 2018.[6]This time ranked her third all-time in the women's indoor collegiate records, closely followingEmily Sisson'srecord of 15:12.[7]

Kurgat competes at the2018 NCAA Division I Indoor Track and Field Championships

Professional

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2020- 22

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After graduating from the University of New Mexico in May 2020, Kurgat enlisted in theUnited States Army.[8]She now competes as a member of the track team in theU.S. Army World Class Athlete Program.

On 26 June 2021, Kurgat competed at the2020 U.S. Olympic trialsinEugene, Oregon,aiming to qualify for the2020 Summer Gameswhich were postponed due to theCOVID-19 pandemic.At these trials, Kurgat finished 11th with a time of 32:36.93. Other notable races contested by Kurgat include the USA 10 Mile Road Running Championships on 2 October 2022, where she finished 6th.[9]

2023

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In January, Kurgat won the2023 USA Cross Country ChampionshipsinRichmond, Virginia,securing a place on the American national team.[10]She then competed at the44th World Athletics Cross Country ChampionshipsinBathurst, Australia,on February 18, 2023. She finished 18th as the top American participant.[11]

At the2023 USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships,held in July, Kurgat participated in the 5000 m and 10000 m races, finishing 6th and 13th, respectively.[12][13]In September, she competed in the US 20 km Road Running Championships, averaging 5:22 per mile and finishing in 2nd place behindEmily Sisson.[14]On October 30, 2023, Kurgat represented the United States in the 10000 m at thePan American GamesinSantiago de Chile.[15]She won her first international medal by finishing third in 33:16.61.

References

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  1. ^abcdeWorld Athletics."Profile of Ednah Kurgat".Archivedfrom the original on 2023-11-26.Retrieved2023-11-14.
  2. ^ab"Ednah Kurgat".University of New Mexico Lobos athletics.2020-04-27.Archivedfrom the original on 2023-10-31.Retrieved2023-11-13.
  3. ^abcSpezia, Mark (2018-09-14)."Ednah Kurgat's long road to NCAA finish line".ESPN.com.Archivedfrom the original on 2023-11-13.Retrieved2023-11-13.
  4. ^abLetsRun.com."Ednah Kurgat Wins and Leads New Mexico To Women's Team Title at 2017 NCAA Cross Country Championships".LetsRun.com.Archivedfrom the original on 2023-11-13.Retrieved2023-11-13.
  5. ^"2017 NCAA Division I Cross Country National Awards".USTFCCCA.Archivedfrom the original on 2023-11-09.Retrieved2023-11-14.
  6. ^"Women's 5000 Meters Results: Boston University / Sharon Colyear-Danville Season Opener".www.tfrrs.org.Archivedfrom the original on 2023-11-13.Retrieved2023-11-13.
  7. ^"Collegiate all-time bests: women's 5000 m indoor".USTFCCCA InfoZone: Records and Lists.Archivedfrom the original on 2023-11-13.Retrieved2023-11-13.
  8. ^"SGT Ednah Kurgat: WCAP".www.armywcap.com.Archivedfrom the original on 2023-11-13.Retrieved2023-11-13.
  9. ^USATF."2022 USATF 10 Mile Road Championships Results".Flipsnack.Archivedfrom the original on 2023-11-13.Retrieved2023-11-13.
  10. ^Dutch, Taylor (2023-01-21)."Emmanuel Bor and Ednah Kurgat Win Titles at USATF Cross-Country Championships".Runner's World.Archivedfrom the original on 2023-11-13.Retrieved2023-11-13.
  11. ^Gault, Jonathan."In Bathurst, the" World's Greatest Footrace "Lived Up to Its Name".LetsRun.com.Archivedfrom the original on 2023-11-13.Retrieved2023-11-13.
  12. ^Gault, Jonathan (2023-07-07)."2023 USA 10K: Woody Kincaid & Elise Cranny Break Free on Final Laps; Grant Fisher May Miss Worlds Team".LetsRun.com.Archivedfrom the original on 2023-10-22.Retrieved2023-11-13.
  13. ^LetsRun.com (2023-07-10)."2023 USA 5000s: Abdihamud Nur Wins His 1st US Title, Elise Cranny Completes 5k/10k Double".LetsRun.com.Archivedfrom the original on 2023-11-13.Retrieved2023-11-13.
  14. ^"Results: Faxon Law New Haven Road Race".www.athlinks.com.2023-09-04.Archivedfrom the original on 2023-11-13.Retrieved2023-11-13.
  15. ^Garcia, Nathaniel (2023-10-31)."Sgt. Kurgat Secures Bronze Medal in the Women's 10,000m at Pan American Games".www.armywcap.com.Archivedfrom the original on 2023-11-13.Retrieved2023-11-13.
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