Sam Chelanga


Samuel Chelanga is a Kenyan-born American track and field athlete who competed for Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia from 2008 to 2011. He holds the NCAA record for the 10,000 meters run with a time of 27:08.49 set at the Payton Jordan Cardinal Invitational at Palo Alto, California on May 1, 2010. His brother, Joshua Chelanga, is a professional marathon runner.

Early life

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

Running career

Collegiate

Originally hailing from Baringo County, Kenya, Chelanga moved to the United States on a sports scholarship. He attended Liberty University, with whom he won the 2009 NCAA Men's Cross Country Championship in Terre Haute, Indiana and set a course record in 28:41.3. He won a third consecutive title at the Big South Conference cross country championships in October, leading the race by a margin of over half a minute. 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. He ended his time at Liberty University with fourteen All-American distance honours.
YearMeetVenueTimePlace
2011NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field ChampionshipsDrake Stadium - Des Moines, IA13:29.301st
2011NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field ChampionshipsDrake Stadium - Des Moines, IA28:12.182nd
2011NCAA Division I Indoor Track and Field ChampionshipsTexas A&M-Gilliam Indoor Track Stadium - College Station13:27.342nd
2011NCAA Division I Indoor Track and Field ChampionshipsTexas A&M-Gilliam Indoor Track Stadium - College Station8:11.1515th
2011Big South Conference Indoor ChampionshipsClemson-Indoor Track Facility - Clemson, SC4:16.881st
2010NCAA Division I Cross Country ChampionshipsLaVern Gibson Championship Cross Country Course - Terre Haute, IN29:22.11st
2010NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field ChampionshipsDrake Stadium - Des Moines, IA13:45.352nd
2010NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field ChampionshipsDrake Stadium - Des Moines, IA28:37.401st
2010NCAA Division I Indoor Track and Field ChampionshipsArkansas-Randall Tyson Track - Fayetteville, AR13:37.012nd
2010Big South Conference Indoor ChampionshipsClemson-Indoor Track Facility - Clemson, SC4:13.751st
2010Big South Conference Indoor ChampionshipsClemson-Indoor Track Facility - Clemson, SC8:14.071st
2009NCAA Division I Cross Country ChampionshipsLaVern Gibson Championship Cross Country Course - Terre Haute, IN28:41.31st CR
2009Big South Conference Outdoor ChampionshipsRadford Patrick D. Cupp Track - Radford, VA14:01.891st
2009Big South Conference Outdoor ChampionshipsRadford Patrick D. Cupp Track - Radford, VA3:49.691st

Professional

Chelanga signed a contract with Nike and made his professional race debut at the B.A.A. 10K in Boston in June 2011 under Jerry Schumacher and managed to take fourth place.
In November 2013, he won the 77th Manchester Road Race, an annual race held on Thanksgiving Day in Manchester, Connecticut, in a time of 21 minutes, 31 seconds. Sam ran a 13:04.35 at Boston University's BU Multi-Team Meet, coming in second. He came in second behind his old college rival Galen Rupp who won in 13:01.26 – a new American indoor 5k record.
From 2013 - January 2015, Sam trained with Dartmouth College alumnus Ben True in Hanover, New Hampshire.
In January 2015, Sam joined coach James Li in Tucson, Arizona.
At the 2016 US Olympic Trials, Chelanga finished the 10,000 meters in sixth place, a minute behind winner Galen Rupp. But he was the third fastest in the race to hold a sub-28:00.00 qualifying time.

2014 Annual Bests

Seasonal best

2015

Results:

1. @LawiLalang1 13:32

2. Wilson Too 13:35

3. @Lagat1500 13:40

4. @SamChelanga 13:50
Wharf to Wharf Santa Cruz to Capitola 6 mile results:

1. Sam Chelanga 27:24.48

2. Shadrack Kosgei 27:27

3. John Muritu Watiku 27:28
43rd New Balance Falmouth Road Race

August 16

Sam finished 4th place 32:21 only 4 seconds behind the winner Stephen Sambu.
USA 5 km Championships CVS/pharmacy Downtown 5k Providence, Rhode Island

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

2016

Sam placed third in 2016 New York Half Marathon in 1:01:43 on 20.03.2016.
Sam placed first in Credit Union Cherry Blossom Ten Mile Run in Washington DC. Sam ran 10 Miles Road in 48:26 on 03.04.2016. The first ??a male win at @CUCB since Greg Meyer in 1983!
Sam Chelanga placed fifth in 2016 Payton Jordan Invitational 10,000m in 27:54.57 at Stanford University on 01.05.2016.
Chelanga qualified for the 2016 US Olympic Trials at 2016 Hoka One One Mid Distance Classic May 20 hosted by Occidental College by running 5000 metres in 13:27.53.
Chelanga placed sixth in the 10,000 m in 28:56.12 and 22nd in 5000 meters in 13:59.52 at 2016 United States Olympic Trials.
Chelanga placed second in 59:16 at USATF 20 km Championships at Faxon Law New Haven Road Race.

2017

Chelanga took home fourth place in 30:22.2 at 10 km at 2017 USATF cross country championships on February 4, 2017.
Chelanga placed first at NACAC 10 km road race on February 26, 2017.
Chelange placed first at World best 10 km Road in February in San Juan, Puerto Rico in a time of 28:19.
Chelanga placed third in 15 km Road in March in Jacksonville, Florida in a time of 43:28.
In May Chelanga served as a pacer for Nike's Breaking2 attempt at achieving a sub-2-hour marathon time.
Chelanga placed ninth in 10,000m at 2017 USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in June in Sacramento in a time of 29:08.29.
Chelanga placed third in 10 km road in July at Atlanta Journal Constitution Peachtree Road Race in a time of 28:25 and first at Quad-City Times Bix in a time of 32:53.
Chelanga placed third in September at Faxon Law New Haven 20 km road race in a time of 59:16.
Chelanga placed 15th in October at 2017 Chicago Marathon in a time of 2:15:02.

2018

Chelanga placed seventh at 2018 Aramco Half Marathon in 1:00:37. Chelanga ran the sixth fastest American time all-time for the half marathon behind Ryan Hall, Leonard Korir, Dathan Ritzenhein, Abdihakem Abdirahman, and Galen Rupp.

Personal bests

SurfaceEventTimeDatePlace
Outdoor track5000 m13:09.67June 2, 2012Eugene, OR
Outdoor track10,000 m27:08.49May 1, 2010Palo Alto, CA
Indoor track3000 m7:45.21February 8, 2014Boston, MA
Indoor track5000 m13:04.35January 16, 2014Boston, MA
Road10 km28:11June 23, 2014Boston, MA
RoadHalf marathon1:00:37January 14, 2018Houston, Texas