Violah Jepchumba (born 23 October 1990) is a Kenyan-born Bahrainilong-distance runner who competes inroad running events up to thehalf marathon distance. She is the current Asian Record holder in the half-marathon (established 1 April 2017) with a winning time of 1:05:22. In 2016, at Praha, she ran a personal best of 1:05:51, which then ranked her as the third fastest woman ever.
She began competing internationally in 2014 and was runner-up in her first European outing at theParelloop. That year she won a series of lower-level German road races, including thePaderborner Osterlauf, as well as theRoute du Vin Half Marathon in Luxembourg. In the 2015 season she improved her half marathon best to 1:11:46 at theGöteborgsvarvet, was runner-up at theKärnten Läuft, then won theUdine Half Marathon in a new best of 1:09:29.[1]
Jepchumba raised her status with a win at theDiscovery Kenya Cross Country in January 2016, beating athletes including world medallistsHelah Kiprop andHyvin Kiyeng, and elite marathon runnerJemima Sumgong.[2] She entered thePrague Half Marathon and delivered far beyond expectations with a winning time of 1:05:51. This was the fourth fastest time ever recorded for the distance.[3] OnlyFlorence Jebet Kiplagat andMary Jepkosgei Keitany had run faster at that point.[4] She extended her win streak at theIstanbul Half Marathon later that month.[5]
She tested positive forerythropoietin (EPO) in drug tests in August and September 2017 and received a four-year ban for doping.[6]
