Violah Jepchumba (born 23 October 1990) is a Kenyan born Bahraini long-distance runner who competes in road running events up to the half marathon distance. She is the current Asian Record holder in the half-marathon (established 01 April 2017) with a winning time of 1:05:22. In 2016, at Praha, she ran a personal best of 1:05:51, which then ranked her as the third fastest woman ever.

She began competing internationally in 2014 and was runner-up in her first European outing at the Parelloop. That year she won a series of lower-level German road races, including the Paderborner Osterlauf, as well as the Route du Vin Half Marathon in Luxembourg. In the 2015 season she improved her half marathon best to 1:11:46 at the Göteborgsvarvet, was runner-up at the Kärnten Läuft, then won the Udine Half Marathon in a new best of 1:09:29.[1]

Jepchumba raised her status with a win at the Discovery Kenya Cross Country in January 2016, beating athletes including world medallists Helah Kiprop and Hyvin Kiyeng, and elite marathon runner Jemima Sumgong.[2] She entered the Prague Half Marathon and delivered far beyond expectations with a winning time of 1:05:51. This was the fourth fastest time ever recorded for the distance.[3] Only Florence Jebet Kiplagat and Mary Jepkosgei Keitany had run faster at that point.[4] She extended her win streak at the Istanbul Half Marathon later that month.[5]

She tested positive for erythropoietin (EPO) in drug tests in August and September 2017 and received a four-year ban for doping.[6]

Circuit wins

  • Istanbul Half Marathon: 2016 - 1st place; time 1:08:18
  • Prague Half Marathon: 2016 - 1st place; time 1:05:22
  • Göteborgsvarvet Half Marathon: 2016 - 1st place; time 1:08:01
  • Discovery Kenya Cross Country: 2016 - 1st place; time (unknown)
  • Udine Half Marathon: 2015 - 1st place; time 1:09:29
  • Laayoune Half Marathon: 2015 - 1st place; time 1:12:35
  • Casablanca Memorial Rahal 10K: 2015- 1st place; time 32:09
  • Route du Vin Half Marathon: 2014 - 1st place; time 1:13:20
  • Paderborner Osterlauf 10K: 2014 - 1st place; time 32:21

See also

References

  1. ↑ Viola Chepchumba. Association of Road Racing Statisticians. Retrieved on 2016-04-03.
  2. ↑ Mills, Steven (2016-01-31). Karoki dominates proceedings in Eldoret – cross-country round-up. IAAF. Retrieved on 2016-04-03.
  3. ↑ Dennehy, Cathal (2016-04-02). Jepchumba joins the greats at Prague Half Marathon. IAAF. Retrieved on 2016-04-03.
  4. ↑ Senior outdoor Half Marathon women. IAAF. Retrieved on 2016-04-03.
  5. ↑ Ramsak, Bob (2016-04-24). Kaya and Jepchumba cruise to Istanbul Half Marathon titles. IAAF. Retrieved on 2016-04-24.
  6. ↑ Sabuni Khwa Sabuni (2018-09-05). Viola Jepchumba banned for using EPO. Daily Sport (Kenya). Retrieved 2020-05-25.
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