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Kenyan Runner Doris Lemngole Makes History with Top US College Track Honour

Kelvin Kibet

By Kelvin Kibet | Updated October 1, 2026

Kenyan distance runner Doris Lemngole made University of Alabama history by winning The Bowerman, collegiate track and field’s highest individual honour. The award was announced in December 2025, making her the first Crimson Tide athlete to receive it.

Quick Facts

  • Lemngole was named the 2025 women’s winner of The Bowerman.
  • She became the first University of Alabama athlete to win the award.
  • She is from West Pokot County, Kenya, and competes for Alabama in cross country and distance events.
  • In February 2026, she ran 14:51.21 for the indoor 5,000 metres in Boston, improving Alabama’s school record.

When Lemngole Won The Bowerman

The Southeastern Conference confirmed on December 18, 2025, that Lemngole had been named the women’s winner of The Bowerman. The award recognises the outstanding collegiate track and field athletes of the year.

That timing is important: the honour was not newly awarded in February 2026. By then, Lemngole had already entered a new season as the reigning Bowerman winner.

She Continued Breaking Records in 2026

On February 14, 2026, Alabama Athletics reported that Lemngole won the women’s 5,000-metre invitational at the David Hemery Valentine Invitational in Boston in 14:51.21. The performance lowered her own Alabama school record and kept her at No. 2 on the NCAA all-time indoor list at the time.

Excellence in Competition and Academics

Lemngole’s profile extends beyond race results. College Sports Communicators named her the 2024-25 Division I Academic All-America Team Member of the Year for women’s track and field/cross country, recognising both athletic and academic performance.

Why the Achievement Matters for Kenya

Lemngole’s rise shows another pathway for Kenyan distance runners: competing at an elite level within the US college system while pursuing a university education. Her Bowerman win also placed a Kenyan athlete at the centre of one of the most prominent annual honours in American collegiate athletics.

Related: Kenyan athletes deliver strong results at the 2026 Zurich Diamond League.

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Kelvin Kibet

Kelvin Kibet is a journalist and multimedia professional with more than six years of experience in journalism, digital media, content production, and newsroom operations.As Editor-in-Chief of Daily Report KE, Kelvin provides editorial leadership and oversees the quality, accuracy, and integrity of the platform's published content. He works with the editorial team to ensure that stories are properly reviewed, fact-checked, contextualized, and presented in accordance with professional journalistic standards.His responsibilities include supervising reporting processes, coordinating newsroom operations, reviewing stories before publication, strengthening editorial procedures, and maintaining standards of accuracy, fairness, and responsible journalism.Kelvin has experience in news reporting, digital journalism, multimedia storytelling, video production, community journalism, and editorial management. He is committed to producing informative, accurate, and public-interest content for Daily Report KE's readers.Areas of Expertise News Reporting Digital Journalism Multimedia Storytelling Investigative Reporting Community Journalism Editorial Management Video Production Content Production Key Responsibilities Editorial leadership and oversight Story review and publishing standards Fact-checking and verification Newsroom coordination Editorial planning and content development Newsroom ethics and quality control Maintaining accuracy and responsible journalism

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