Nancy Langat

Who is Nancy Langat?

Nancy Jebet Langat is a Kenyan middle distance runner who specialises in the 1500 metres. She won the gold medal in the 1500 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.

She won gold at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing and became the second Kenyan woman to win an Olympic gold. The first one was Pamela Jelimo, who won 800 metres 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 she won the prestigious Diamond League tally for the 1500 m. She went undefeated in all of her races against the best runners in the world. He performance at the 2010 IAAF Continental Cup was a controversial one as she attempted to pull back Hind Dehiba as the two duelled in the final straight. Langat fell and finished last. 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.