Lonah Korlima Chemtai (born December 12, 1988) is a Kenyan-Israeli runner. She competed in the marathon at the 2016 Summer Olympics,[1][2][3][4] and won the 10,000 meters European Championship in 2018.[5]
Early and personal life
Chemtai was born in Kenya, a member of the tribe of Kalenjin, and grew up in a village in West Pokot Countyinwestern Kenya.[6][7] She came to Israel in 2008, as a nanny for the children of Kenya's Ambassador to Israel.[6][8][7]
Chemtai met Israeli running coach Dan Salpeter, and the two fell in love, and married in 2014.[8][9][10] The couple's son, Roy, was born in December 2014.[8][7] The family lives in moshavYanuv, in central Israel.[11] Chemtai was granted Israeli citizenship in March 2016, eight years after she began living in Israel, a few days before the cut-off to qualify for the 2016 Olympics.[12][9]
Running career
Her husband is also her coach.[13] In her youth she ran shorter distances, and she began running the marathon only after 2014.[7]
Chemtai came in first among the women in the 2016 Tel Aviv Marathon in 2:40:16, almost five minutes below the qualification time for the 2016 Olympics.[8][13]
Chemtai competed for Israel at the 2016 Summer Olympics in the marathon.[12][9] By the 30th kilometer, her time put her in the top half of the runners, ranking her approximately 90th.[14] She left the race at the 33rd kilometer.[14] She explained on Facebook: “Unfortunately, I was forced to stop by a shoulder problem. As you all know, I’m still nursing my 20-month-old son. During my training in Kenya, I tried to stop, but it caused me pain and a shoulder problem due to running with breasts full of milk. This limited me in the European championships in Amsterdam (a half-marathon) and happened again today. I promise to attain respectable achievements in the future and am going forward with head held high.”[14]
Yelena Romanova (URS)
Fernanda Ribeiro (POR)
Sonia O'Sullivan (IRL)
Paula Radcliffe (GBR)
Inga Abitova (RUS)
Elvan Abeylegesse (TUR)
Lonah Chemtai Salpeter (ISR)
Nadia Battocletti (ITA)
