Addis Ababa, September 11, 2026 (FMC) — Kenyan distance-running standout Doris Lemngole has officially signed a professional contract with Swiss sportswear brand On, marking the next chapter of her career after previously partnering with the brand through a name, image and likeness (NIL) agreement.
Lemngole rose to prominence during her collegiate career at the University of Alabama, winning consecutive NCAA Cross Country Championship titles in 2024 and 2025 and setting the fastest winning time in NCAA cross-country history with a course record of 18:25.4.
She also claimed the 2025 NCAA Indoor 5000m title and back-to-back NCAA Outdoor 3000m steeplechase championships in 2024 and 2025. Her 8:58.15 steeplechase mark set a collegiate record, while her performances earned her the USTFCCCA Lance Harter Collegiate National Athlete of the Year award.
In 2025, Lemngole became the first University of Alabama athlete and the first Kenyan to win The Bowerman, the highest individual honor in collegiate track and field.
Her rise has also extended to the international stage. While still competing collegiately, she won the 3000m steeplechase at the Athletissima Diamond League meeting in Lausanne, Switzerland, on her Diamond League debut. She later represented Kenya at the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, finishing fifth in the steeplechase.
“Doris has been a spectacular ambassador for On, and her transition to our professional roster is a proud moment for the brand,” said Niklas Buehner, Head of Athletics at On.
Lemngole said her NIL partnership with On had marked the beginning of a journey she was grateful for, adding that the brand’s support throughout her collegiate career made her transition to professional athletics particularly meaningful.
“I’m incredibly grateful, excited, and ready to keep dreaming bigger, chasing new goals, and seeing where this journey takes us next,” she said.