Nancy Langat

Nancy Jebet Langat
Langat (left) at the 1500 m in Berlin in 2009, with Mariem Alaoui Selsouli
Personal information
Born (1981-08-22) 22 August 1981 (age 43)
Height5 ft 0 in (1.52 m)
Weight108 lb (49 kg)
Sport
Country Kenya
Event(s)800 m, 1500 m
College teamKenya Air Force
Achievements and titles
Olympic finals2008 1500 m, 1st
2004 1500 m, 7th in semi-finals
Personal best(s)800 m: 1:57.75
1500 m: 4:00.23
Medal record
Women's athletics
Representing  Kenya
Olympic Games
Gold medal – first place 2008 Beijing 1500 m
Commonwealth Games
Gold medal – first place 2010 Delhi 800 m
Gold medal – first place 2010 Delhi 1500 m

Nancy Jebet Langat (born 22 August 1981) is a Kenyan middle distance runner who specialises in the 1,500 metres. She won the gold medal in the 1,500 m at the 2008 Summer Olympics, in a personal best time of 4:00.23.

She also competed at the 2004 Summer Olympics and the 2005 World Championships, without reaching the finals. In her younger days, she mainly competed in the 800 metres, and was successful as a junior.

Langat's gold at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing made her only the second Kenyan woman to win an Olympic gold. The first one was Pamela Jelimo, who won the 800 m at the same Olympics. At the 2009 World Championships, Langat did not advance past the semifinals, but finished the season with a win at the World Athletics Final.

In 2010 Langat won the Diamond League 1500 m. She was undefeated in all races against the best runners in the world. He performance at the 2010 IAAF Continental Cup was controversial, as she attempted to pull back Hind Dehiba as the two duelled in the final straight. Langat fell and finished last.[1] She claimed an 800/1500 m middle distance double at the 2010 Commonwealth Games, however, and was chosen as the Kenyan Sportswoman of the Year in December.[2]

Langat had less success on the 2011 Diamond League circuit: on her two appearances, at the Golden Gala and Prefontaine Classic, she came fifth both times. She topped the podium in the 1500 m at the 2011 Military World Games, but was eliminated in the semi-finals at the 2011 World Championships in Athletics. She suffered a knee injury in 2012 and missed the opportunity to defend her Olympic title.[3]

  1. ^ "Lagat falls on the track as she tries to win by making another runner fall". Universal World Sports. YouTube. 5 September 2010. Archived from the original on 14 December 2021. Retrieved 25 September 2010.
  2. ^ "Rudisha and Lagat crowned Soya best athletes". The Standard. 11 December 2010. Retrieved 27 April 2016.
  3. ^ Mutuota, Mutwiri (23 June 2012). "Rudisha runs 1:42.12 at altitude – Kenyan Olympic Trials". IAAF. Retrieved 27 April 2016.