Gladys Chepngetich
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | 20 May 2001 |
| Sport | |
| Sport | Athletics |
Event | Middle-distance running |
| Achievements and titles | |
| Personal bests | 800m: 1:59.47 (Jacksonville, 2025) 1500m: 4:13.15 (Atlanta, 2024) Indoor 400m: 54.18 (Clemson, 2026) 800m: 1:58.81 (Boston, 2026) NR Mile: 4:37.16 (Boston, 2023) |
Gladys Chepngetich (born 20 May 2001) is a Kenyan middle-distance runner. In January 2026, she became the Kenyan indoor national record holder in the 800 metres competing in the United States, and won the 2026 NCAA Indoor Championships title.[1]
Biography
Born in Kapsokio village in Nandi County, Kenya, as the youngest child in a family of eight, Chepngetich attended Kapsokio Primary school and Kosirai Girls High school. She trained with the Janeth Jepkosgei training camp in Kapsabet, and with Townhall Athletics in Iten.[2]
Competing as a student at Clemson University in the United States, by April 2024 her best time of 2:00.53 for the 800 metres had moved her to fifteenth on the NCAA all-time list, whilst a freshman.[3] She was a semi-finalist in the 800 metres at the NCAA Outdoor Championships in June 2024, in Eugene, Oregon.[4]
Competing over 800 metres, she was a finalist at the 2025 NCAA Indoor Championships in Virginia Beach.[5] She ran a personal best of 1:59.47 for the 800m at the NCAA Division I East First Rounds in Jacksonville, Florida in May 2025, and subsequently competed at the NCAA Outdoor Championships in June 2025, reaching the semi-finals.[6][7][8] She also ran in the semi-finals of the women's 4 x 400 metres relay at the championships.[9] The following month, she represented Kenya over 800 metres at the 2025 Summer World University Games in Bochum, Germany, again reaching the semi-finals.[10]
Chepngetich ran 1:58.81 for the 800 metres at the BU Terrier Classic in Boston, Massachusetts on 30 January 2026, placing third behind Isabelle Boffey of Great Britain and American champion Roisin Willis. It was the second-fastest indoor time ever by a collegiate woman behind the Athing Mu collegiate record of 1:58.40 from 2021.[11] The time also set a new Kenyan indoor national record for the distance, breaking the previous record set by Pamela Jelimo in winning the World Indoor Championships in 2012.[12][13] On 14 March, she led gun-to-tape to win the 800 m title at the 2026 NCAA Indoor Championships, winning in 2:00.01.[14]
References
- ^ "Gladys Chepngetich". World Athletics. Retrieved 31 Jan 2026.
- ^ "Meet Gladys Chepngetich: Kenya's budding athletics star with big dreams". Nation Africa. 1 Jul 2024. Retrieved 31 Jan 2026.
- ^ Becton, Stan (16 April 2024). "These are the top freshmen in NCAA women's outdoor track and field halfway through 2024". NCAA.com. Retrieved 1 Feb 2026.
- ^ "NCAA Division I Indoor Track and Field Championships". World Athletics. 8 June 2024. Retrieved 31 Jan 2026.
- ^ "NCAA Division I Indoor Track and Field Championships". World Athletics. 14 March 2025. Retrieved 31 Jan 2026.
- ^ "NCAA Division I East First Rounds". World Athletics. 28 May 2025. Retrieved 31 Jan 2026.
- ^ Postins, Matt (4 June 2024). "Clemson Tigers Track and Field Team Set to Compete at NCAA Championships". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved 1 Feb 2026.
- ^ "2025 NCAA Division I Indoor Track and Field Championships". World Athletics. 12 June 2025. Retrieved 31 Jan 2026.
- ^ "2025 NCAA Division I Indoor Track and Field Championships". World Athletics. 12 June 2025. Retrieved 31 Jan 2026.
- ^ "FISU World University Games". World Athletics. 21 July 2025. Retrieved 28 August 2025.
- ^ Gault, Jonathan (January 30, 2026). "Roisin Willis smashes American indoor 800m record with 1:57.97 in Boston". Lets Run. Retrieved 31 Jan 2026.
- ^ "Gladys Chepngetich breaks Jelimo's indoor 800m national record". Nation.Africa. January 31, 2026. Retrieved 1 Feb 2026.
- ^ "Boffey and Ruthe climb world all-time lists in Boston". World Athletics. 1 Feb 2026. Retrieved 31 Jan 2026.
- ^ Jampol, Noah (March 14, 2026). "2026 NCAA indoor women: Jane Hedengren completes sweep, Wilma Nielsen repeats". Lets Run. Retrieved 15 March 2026.