_2019.jpg) Kurgat competes at the Payton Jordan Invitational in 2019 | |||||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Born | (1991-06-15)June 15, 1991 (age 34)[1] Eldoret, Kenya | ||||||||||||||
| Height | 5 ft 7 in (1.70 m) | ||||||||||||||
| Weight | 110 lb (50 kg) | ||||||||||||||
| Sport | |||||||||||||||
| Country | United States | ||||||||||||||
| Sport | Athletics | ||||||||||||||
Event(s) | 1500 m,5000 m,10,000 m | ||||||||||||||
| College team | Liberty University Lady Flames New Mexico Lobos | ||||||||||||||
| Turned pro | May 2020 | ||||||||||||||
| Achievements and titles | |||||||||||||||
| Personalbests |
| ||||||||||||||
Medal record
| |||||||||||||||
Ednah Kurgat (born June 15, 1991)[1] is a Kenyan-born Americanmiddle- andlong-distance runner. She won the2017 NCAA Division I Cross Country Championships while competing for theUniversity of New Mexico. In October 2023, Kurgat represented the United States in the10000 metres at thePan American Games, winning a bronze medal. She is a member of theU.S. Army World Class Athlete Program.
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 University recruited 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]
Kurgat began competing for Liberty University in fall 2016. She finished 12th at the2016 NCAA Division I Cross Country Championships and placed 4th in the5000 m at the2016 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships. After her freshman year, she transferred to theUniversity of New Mexico inAlbuquerque, 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 Mexico in fall 2017. She won the2017 NCAA Division I Cross Country Championships, held atE.P. "Tom" Sawyer State Park inLouisville, 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 Association named Kurgat its National Athlete of the Year.[5]
In the2018 and2019 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's record of 15:12.[7]
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 trials inEugene, Oregon, aiming to qualify for the2020 Summer Games which 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]
In January, Kurgat won the2023 USA Cross Country Championships inRichmond, Virginia, securing a place on the American national team.[10] She then competed at the44th World Athletics Cross Country Championships inBathurst, 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 Games inSantiago de Chile.[15] She won her first international medal by finishing third in 33:16.61.
