Pamela Kosgei: Three things to know about the elite Kenyan runner who joined the Lobos

May 7—Pamela Kosgei, a Kenyan national champion and an under-20 African champion in the 3,000-meter steeplechase, has been added to the University of New Mexico track-and-field roster for the 2024-25 school year.

Lobos coach Darren Gauson made the announcement on Monday.

Already on campus, Kosgei is scheduled to compete for UNM in cross country next fall before running indoor and outdoor track in 2024-25.

Here are three things to know:

1) Her sister is a world marathon record holder

Pamela Kosgei, 19, is the younger sister of world marathon record holder Brigid Kosgei. Brigid won the 2018 and 2019 Chicago Marathons, the 2019 and 2020 London Marathons and the 2021 Tokyo Marathon before earning silver in the event at the Tokyo Olympics.

2) She's run a steeplechase that would rank third in the nation

Pamela Kosgei has run a 3,000-meter steeplechase time (9 minutes, 35.23 seconds) that would rank third in the nation thus far this season on the NCAA outdoor performance list. Her best performance in the steeplechase was at 5,000-feet elevation and would put her within a second of No. 1 in the nation with elevation conversions (9:22). She ranks No. 76 in the world in the steeplechase.

3) She's also one of the most promising cross-country runners in the world

Pamela Kosgei's cross country 10K best of 31:40 would rank No. 2 among the nation's fastest collegiate races at that distance on the outdoor oval this year. She currently ranks No. 52 in the world in cross country.