Lawi Lalang | |
Nationality: | Kenyan |
Sport: | Long-distance running |
Event: | 800 m – 10 km |
Club: | U.S. Army |
Collegeteam: | University of Arizona |
Birth Date: | 15 June 1991 |
Birth Place: | Eldoret, Kenya[1] |
Lawi Lalang (born June 15, 1991) is a Kenyan-American runner.
His elder brother Boaz Kiplagat Lalang is a middle distance runner, who specialises in the 5000 metres. Lalang was drafted into the U.S. Army World Class Athlete Program on a track to becoming a U.S. citizen.[2] He switched athletic allegiance from Kenya to the US on May 17, 2018.
In college, Lalang ran for the University of Arizona.[3] Lawi Lalang was coached by James Li of the University of Arizona, who also coaches other eminent Kenyan-American runners including Bernard Lagat.[4] Lalang won 2011 NCAA Division I Cross Country Championships titles. In 2012, he won bronze at both the 2012 NCAA Division I Cross Country Championships and at the 2012 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships (5,000 m). In 2013 he won both 5,000 and 10,000 metres at the 2013 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships. In 2014 he took two silver medals at the 2014 NCAA Division I Indoor Track and Field Championships before finishing with a silver and a gold at the 2014 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships.
Representing the US in international competition, Lalang won the bronze medal in the 10,000 metres at the 2019 Pan American Games.