IS SHE UNBEATABLE? Doris Lemngole, that is. The year’s second-fastest collegian, Pamela Kosgei, certainly thought so, wisely opting instead for the 5 and 10K events, which she won. Lemngole, who set a Collegiate Record in her ’24 win, had bettered that time twice this year, and the 23-year-old Alabama soph has displayed no indications of vulnerability.
However, hurdles and water can often create chaos, and two Americans —Lexy Halladay-Lowry (BYU) and Angelina Napoleon (NC State) — appeared ready to capitalize, should Lemngole seriously falter.
The first semi revealed nothing to temper the expectation. Lemngole eased away from her competitors with 4 laps remaining, ran most of the race in lane 2 even when alone, and displayed no signs of exertion as she finished in 9:26.44, the meet’s fastest semi ever. The next 4 were 11+ seconds behind, 3 with PRs.
Five grouped together in the second semi, led all the way by Napoleon and Halladay-Lowry. All finished between 9:36.19 (Napoleon) and 9:37.40, again with a trio of PRs. The final projected as a very competitive race — for 2nd and 3rd.
The greatest steeplechase race and performance in NCAA history began rather inauspiciously, with a slow early pace. Lemngole led, with Halladay-Lowry on her shoulder for the first three laps. Then, with just under four circuits remaining, a gap appeared, and began to ever-so-gradually widen.
Lemngole, no longer concerned simply with winning, had other objectives in mind. With no visible display of effort, she methodically drew away from everyone. With three laps to go, she was 3 seconds ahead of Halladay-Lowry, 9 ahead of Napoleon; with two circuits remaining, the margin was 4 and 11 seconds; at the bell, it was 5 and 13. All the others, at least 14 seconds behind Napoleon, were competing in a different race.
Continuing on her solitary quest, Lemngole hopped over (rather than hurdled) the barriers, accelerated even more, and finished her final lap in 68 seconds. Her overall time, a terrific 8:58.15 that moved her to No. 11 on the all-time world list, demolished her Collegiate and Meet Records by 12 and 17 seconds.
Said Lemngole of her impressive run, “Since my first championships [in ’24], I knew I wanted to try and get under 9:10 and I got that, and ever since I knew I could run it in under 9:00.” Of the challenge presented by waterjumps, she added, “Today I felt like I was so much better with them and more prepared.”
Halladay-Lowry, who pushed herself hard all the way to the finish, was rewarded with a 9:08.68. That was 7 seconds better than the previous CR and a huge PR that moved her to No. 7 on the all-time U.S. list. The 20-year-old Napoleon, who in March had a PR of only 9:54, broke the beam in 9:16.66, a portent of potentially greater things to come.
The next four all recorded PRs, led by West Virginia’s Sarah Tait at 9:27.80 — a time that would have prevailed at all but four previous championships.
WOMEN’S STEEPLE RESULTS
FINAL (June 14; interior water jump)
1. **Doris Lemngole’ (Al-Ken) 8:58.15 CR (old CR 9:10.13 Lemngole’ ’25) (11, x W)
(67.97, 2:19.49, 3:30.35, 4:39.10);
2. Lexy Halladay-Lowry (BYU) 9:08.68 AmCR (old AmCR 9:16.00 Courtney Wayment [BYU] ’22) (7, x A; 2, 2 C);
(73.03, 2:25.94, 3:37.97, 4:48.72);
3. **Angelina Napoleon (NCSt) 9:16.66 PR (5, 8 C)
(73.64, 2:27.20, 3:39.80, 4:52.43);
4. Sarah Tait’ (WV-GB) 9:27.80 PR;
5. ***Debora Cherono’ (TxAM-Ken) 9:32.10 PR;
6. Katelyn Stewart-Barnett’ (MiSt-Can) 9:33.21 PR;
7. **Shelby Jensen (UtSt) 9:36.61 PR;
8. ***Leah Jeruto’ (Ok-Ken) 9:38.94;
9. **Taylor Lovell (BYU) 9:39.43;
10. Maggie Liebich (Wa) 9:50.77;
11. Emily Paupore (CMi) 9:54.94;
12. **Karrie Baloga (NnAz) 9:57.43.
SEMIS (June 12)
I–1. Lemngole’ 9:26.44; 2. Stewart-Barnett’ 9:37.81; 3. Baloga 9:37.93 PR; 4. Lovell 9:37.97 PR; 5. Jensen 9:38.01 PR; 6. Jeruto’ 9:39.54; 7. *Sydney Masciarelli (NC) 9:52.08; 8. **Kennady Fontenot (TxAM) 9:52.75 PR; 9. Brooke Mullins’ (FlSt-Aus) 9:56.80 PR; 10. **Gwenno Goode’ (LaS-GB) 10:04.19; 11. Sophia McDonnell (NM) 10:04.39; 12. Madaline Ullom (PennSt) 10:08.96.
II–1. Napoleon 9:36.19; 2. Halladay-Lowry 9:36.24; 3. Cherono’ 9:36.95 PR; 4. Tait’ 9:37.06 PR; 5. Liebich 9:37.40 PR; 6. Paupore 9:43.24 PR; 7. ***Ebba Cronholm’ (Ks-Swe) 9:46.53 PR; 8. **Hanna Ackermann’ (Boise-Ger) 9:54.21 PR; 9. Katja Pattis’ (Id-Ita) 9:57.34 PR; 10. *Molly Malague (Harv) 10:03.54; 11. ***Nelly Jemeli (MsSt) 10:04.95; 12. Layla Roebke (Louis) 10:14.24.
