Ednah Kurgat

Last updated
Ednah Kurgat
Ednah Kurgat (USA) 2019.jpg
Kurgat competes at the Payton Jordan Invitational in 2019
Personal information
Born (1991-06-15) June 15, 1991 (age 32) [1]
Eldoret, Kenya
Height5 ft 7 in (1.70 m)
Weight110 lb (50 kg)
Sport
CountryUnited States
Sport Athletics
Event(s) 1500 m, 5000 m, 10,000 m
College team Liberty University Lady Flames
New Mexico Lobos
Turned proMay 2020
Achievements and titles
Personal bests
Medal record
Women's athletics
Representing the United States
Pan American Games
Bronze medal icon (B initial).svg 2023 Santiago 10,000 m

Ednah Kurgat (born June 15, 1991) [1] is a Kenyan-born American middle- and long-distance runner. She won the 2017 NCAA Division I Cross Country Championships while competing for the University of New Mexico. In October 2023, Kurgat represented the United States in the 10000 metres at the Pan American Games, winning a bronze medal. She is a member of the U.S. Army World Class Athlete Program.

Contents

Early life and emigration to the United States

Kurgat attended Biwott Ng’elel Tarit Secondary School in Eldoret, 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 at Liberty University recruited Kurgat to run for the school in Lynchburg, 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

College

Kurgat began competing for Liberty University in fall 2016. She finished 12th at the 2016 NCAA Division I Cross Country Championships and placed 4th in the 5000 m at the 2016 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships. After her freshman year, she transferred to the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque, 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 to redshirt, 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 the 2017 NCAA Division I Cross Country Championships, held at E.P. "Tom" Sawyer State Park in Louisville, Kentucky. [4] Her time of 19:19.5 was a course and meet record. Kurgat’s victory also helped lead her team, the New Mexico Lobos, to a first-place finish. Following her victory, the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association named Kurgat its National Athlete of the Year. [5]

In the 2018 and 2019 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 following Emily Sisson's record of 15:12. [7]

Kurgat competes at the 2018 NCAA Division I Indoor Track and Field Championships Karissa Schweizer by Jenaragon94.jpg
Kurgat competes at the 2018 NCAA Division I Indoor Track and Field Championships

Professional

2020- 22

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

On 26 June 2021, Kurgat competed at the 2020 U.S. Olympic trials in Eugene, Oregon, aiming to qualify for the 2020 Summer Games which were postponed due to the COVID-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

In January, Kurgat won the 2023 USA Cross Country Championships in Richmond, Virginia, securing a place on the American national team. [10] She then competed at the 44th World Athletics Cross Country Championships in Bathurst, Australia, on February 18, 2023. She finished 18th as the top American participant. [11]

At the 2023 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 behind Emily Sisson. [14] On October 30, 2023, Kurgat represented the United States in the 10000 m at the Pan American Games in Santiago de Chile. [15] She won her first international medal by finishing third in 33:16.61.

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References

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