Kenya's Gladys Chepngetich (right) competes in the women's 800m race during the National Collegiate Athletic Association Track and Field Championships in Fayetteville, Arkansas, USA on March 14, 2026.

📋 Breaking It Down

They are also leaving their mark in America’s National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) National Championships.

Some 122 Kenyan athletes, including 72 from the Townhall Athletics Club, have entered the NCAA regional championships, which will serve as qualifiers for the prestigious NCAA National Championships scheduled for June 10-13 at the famous Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon.

The 2026 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field First Rounds (regionals) take place simultaneously starting on Wednesday.

📌 What You Need to Know

The East First Round shall be hosted by the University of Kentucky at the UK Track & Field Complex in Lexington, Kentucky, while the West First Round shall be held at the University of Arkansas at John McDonnell Field in Fayetteville, Arkansas.

The regional championships are expected to be highly competitive as athletes fight for limited slots to the national finals, one of the biggest collegiate athletics events in the world.

The NCAA 800m Indoor National champion Gladys Chepngetich is targeting to win her specialty and claim a spot in the national championships.

“I’m staying focused. My aim is to finish on the podium,” said Chepngetich, a student at Clemson University.

Chepngetich reached the women’s 800m semi-finals at last year’s championships but wants to go further this time round.

Rosemary Longisa from Washington States University, who finished second in the 1,500m race at the Indoor National Championships, is rather modest about her expectations.

📰 Source: Nation Africa