James Munyala (born November 2, 1952) is a Kenyan athlete, known for running thesteeplechase.[1] Running for theUniversity of Texas, El Paso he won three straightNCAA Championships 1975–1977. His 1976 win set theFranklin Field record that stood for 32 years. He was part of the controversial beginning wave of imported, older Kenyan athletes who allowed UTEP andWashington State University to dominate NCAA distance running. At the time,Craig Virgin suggested these athletes displaced opportunities for American athletes.[2][3] Another star athlete mentioned was Washington State'sHenry Rono who succeeded Munyala as NCAA Champion, with Munyala as runner-up, in 1978, blocking his attempt to win four straight. Later in 1978, Rono and Munyala went 1-2 for Kenya at both theAfrican Games and theCommonwealth Games. Munyala won the Indoor Mile for UTEP in 1978 and is in the university's Hall of Fame when they ran the triple crown of the Men'sIndoor,Outdoor andCross Country Championships all in the same year.[4]
