Samuel Chelanga

Chelanga in 2023
Personal information
Nationality	American
Born	(1985-02-23)February 23, 1985 (age 40) Baringo,Kenya
Height	5 ft 7 in (1.70 m)
Sport
Sport	Track,Track and field,long-distance running
Event(s)	5000 metres,10,000 meters
College team	Liberty University
Club	Nike
Turned pro	2011
Now coaching	Scott Simmons
Achievements and titles
Personalbest(s)	[1] Half Marathon 1:00:37 (2018) 10,000 meters 27:08.39 (2012) 5000 metres 13:04.35 (2014)
Medal record Men'sathletics Representing United States Pan American Games 2023 Santiago 10,000 m

Samuel Chelanga (born February 23, 1985, inBaringo County, Kenya) is aKenyan-bornAmericantrack and field athlete who competed forLiberty University inLynchburg, Virginia, from 2008 to 2011. He set theNCAA record for the10,000 meters run with a time of 27:08.49 set at the Payton Jordan Cardinal Invitational atPalo Alto, California, on May 1, 2010.^[2] (That record was broken by Nico Young on March 16, 2024.)^[3] His brother,Joshua Chelanga, is a professionalmarathon runner.

Sam Chelanga was born in Kabarsel village,Baringo County, Kenya, and was the 10th of 11 children.^[4]

Originally hailing fromBaringo County, Kenya, Chelanga moved to theUnited States on a sportsscholarship. He attendedLiberty University, with whom he won the 2009NCAA Men's Cross Country Championship inTerre Haute, Indiana, and set a course record in 28:41.3.^[5] He won a third consecutive title at theBig South Conference cross country championships in October, leading the race by a margin of over half a minute.^[6] In 2010, he defended his title by winning the NCAA cross country championship, becoming only the 11th man in NCAA history to win at least two such titles.^[7] He ended his time at Liberty University with fourteen All-American distance honours.^[8]

^[9]

Chelanga signed a contract with Nike and made his professional race debut at theB.A.A. 10K in Boston in June 2011 under Jerry Schumacher and managed to take fourth place.^[10]

In November 2013, he won the 77thManchester Road Race (4.748 miles), an annual race held onThanksgiving Day inManchester, Connecticut, in a time of 21 minutes, 31 seconds.^[11] Sam ran a 13:04.35 atBoston University's BU Multi-Team Meet, coming in second. He came in second behind his old college rivalGalen Rupp who won in 13:01.26 – a new American indoor 5k record.

From 2013 - January 2015, Sam trained withDartmouth College alumnusBen True inHanover, New Hampshire.

In January 2015, Sam joined coach James Li in Tucson, Arizona.^[12][13][14]

At the2016 US Olympic Trials, Chelanga finished the 10,000 meters in sixth place, a minute behind winnerGalen Rupp. But he was the third fastest in the race to hold a sub-28:00.00 qualifying time.

Carlsbad 5000 Results:
1. @LawiLalang1 13:32
2. Wilson Too 13:35
3. @Lagat1500 13:40
4. @SamChelanga 13:50

Wharf to WharfSanta Cruz toCapitola 6 mile results:
1. Sam Chelanga 27:24.48^[15][16][17]
2.Shadrack Kosgei 27:27
3. John Muritu Watiku 27:28

43rdNew BalanceFalmouth Road Race
August 16
Sam finished 4th place 32:21 only 4 seconds behind the winner Stephen Sambu.^[18]

USA 5 km Championships CVS/pharmacy Downtown 5kProvidence, Rhode Island^[19]
September 20,
1.David Torrence 13:56.0
2. Dan Huling 13:59.0
3.Dathan Ritzenhein 14:03.0
4. Sam Chelanga 14:07.0

USA 10 mile championship on October 4
1. Sam Chelanga 46:47
2. Tyler Pennel
3.Dathan Ritzenhein

Sam placed third in 2016New York Half Marathon in 1:01:43 on March 20, 2016.^[20]

Sam placed first in Credit UnionCherry Blossom Ten Mile Run in Washington, D.C. Sam ran 10 Miles Road in 48:26 on April 3, 2016.^[21] The first 🇺🇸a male win at @CUCB since Greg Meyer in 1983!^[22]

Sam Chelanga placed fifth in 2016Payton Jordan Invitational 10,000m in 27:54.57 atStanford University on May 1, 2016.^[23]

Chelanga qualified for the 2016US Olympic Trials (track and field) at 2016Hoka One One Mid Distance Classic May 20 hosted byOccidental College by running5000 metres in 13:27.53.^[24]

Chelanga placed sixth in the 10,000 m in 28:56.12 and 22nd in 5000 meters in 13:59.52 at2016 United States Olympic Trials (track and field).^[25]

Chelanga placed second in 59:16 at USATF 20 km Championships atFaxon Law New Haven Road Race.^[26][27]

In October 2016, Chelanga won the USATF 10 miles (16 km) Championships at theMedtronic TC 10 Mile.^[28] At the time, Chelanga was running forTeam USA Minnesota.^[29]

Chelanga took home fourth place in 30:22.2 at 10 km at 2017USATF cross country championships on February 4, 2017.^[30]

Chelanga placed first atNACAC 10 km road race on February 26, 2017.^[31][32][33]

Chelange placed first at World best 10 km Road in February inSan Juan, Puerto Rico, in a time of 28:19.^[34]

Chelanga placed third in 15 km Road in March inJacksonville, Florida, in a time of 43:28.^[35]

In May Chelanga served as a pacer for Nike'sBreaking2 attempt at achieving a sub-2-hour marathon time.

Chelanga placed ninth in 10,000m at2017 USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in June inSacramento in a time of 29:08.29.^[36]

Chelanga placed third in 10 km road in July atAtlanta Journal-Constitution Peachtree Road Race in a time of 28:25 and first atQuad-City Times Bix 7 in a time of 32:53.

Chelanga placed third in September atFaxon Law New Haven Road Race 20 km in a time of 59:16.

Chelanga placed 15th in October at2017 Chicago Marathon in a time of 2:15:02.

Chelanga placed seventh at 2018Aramco Half Marathon in 1:00:37.^[37] Chelanga ran the sixth fastest American time all-time for the half marathon behindRyan Hall (59:43 14 January 2007 in Houston Texas),Leonard Korir (59:52 19 November 2017 in New Delhi India),Dathan Ritzenhein (60:00 1 October 2009 in Birmingham England),Abdihakem Abdirahman (60:29 5 August 2007 in New York NY), andGalen Rupp (60:29 20 March 2011 in New York NY).

• Updated May 17, 2014.^[38]

• Sam Chelanga Track and Field Profile atLiberty Flames
• Sam Chelanga atWorld Athletics

• Living people
• 1985 births
• Sportspeople from Nairobi
• Liberty University alumni
• American men marathon runners
• Kenyan men long-distance runners
• American people of Kenyan descent
• Sportspeople of Kenyan descent
• American sportsmen
• Athletes (track and field) at the 2023 Pan American Games
• Medalists at the 2023 Pan American Games
• Pan American Games silver medalists for the United States in athletics (track and field)
• Australian Athletics Championships winners
• Liberty Flames track and field athletes
• NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships winners
• 21st-century Kenyan sportsmen

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