 | ||
Violah Jepchumba (born 23 October 1990) is a Kenyan long-distance runner who competes in road running events up to the half marathon distance. She holds a personal best of 65:51 minutes, which ranks her 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 71:46 minutes at the Göteborgsvarvet, was runner-up at the Kärnten Läuft, then won the Udine Half Marathon in a new best of 69:29 minutes.
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. She entered the Prague Half Marathon and delivered far beyond expectations with a win 65:51 minutes. This was the fourth fastest time ever recorded for the distance. Only Florence Jebet Kiplagat and Mary Jepkosgei Keitany had run faster at that point. She extended her win streak at the Istanbul Half Marathon later that month.