Lonah Chemtai Salpeter

Lonah Chemtai Salpeter achieved international standing by winning gold in the 10,000 metres at the 2018 European Athletics Championships, the first such medal for an Israeli athlete. Born in Kenya’s West Pokot County, she transitioned from a life of rural labor to becoming one of the most prolific distance runners representing Israel in major global athletic competitions.

Early Life in Kenya

Born on 12 December 1988 in the village of Kapkanyar, Salpeter grew up as a member of the Pokot tribe. Her early years were spent in a sheet-metal dwelling without basic utilities. She walked four kilometers to school and contributed to the family farm after her father died in 2005. She arrived in Israel in December 2008 to work as a live-in nanny for the family of the Kenyan Ambassador to Israel in Herzliya.

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Transition to Elite Athletics

Salpeter began recreational running in a local park in 2010. She married Israeli running coach Dan Salpeter in 2014, and the couple has a son, Roy. She gained Israeli citizenship in March 2016, supported by the Kenyan Ambassador to Israel, Augostino Njoroge. She trains between 190 and 200 kilometers per week, often focusing on her internal rhythm rather than external competition.

Professional Racing Highlights

After winning the 2016 Tel Aviv Marathon, Salpeter represented Israel at the 2016 Rio Olympics and later competed in the 2020 Tokyo and 2024 Paris Olympics. She set a marathon personal best of 2:17:45 in 2020, establishing a national record. Her career includes a bronze medal at the 2022 World Athletics Championships, a silver at the 2022 New York City Marathon, and a third-place finish at the 2023 Boston Marathon.