Zurich, Switzerland
Kenya’s track and field standout Doris Lemngole has now officially signed a professional contract with On brand after having previously partnered with the sportswear brand through an NIL agreement.
A NIL (Name, Image, and Likeness) agreement is a legal contract that allows student-athletes to earn compensation by partnering with brands, businesses, or collectives using their personal brand. Lemngole now takes the next step in her athletic career, turning professional and joining On’s global roster of professional athletes.
During her time as a student-athlete at the University of Alabama, Lemngole established herself as one of the most dominant distance runners in NCAA history.
She captured consecutive NCAA Cross Country Championship titles in 2024 and 2025, setting the fastest winning time in NCAA XC history with a course-record 18:25.4. Her collegiate dominance extended to the track, where she secured the 2025 NCAA Indoor 5,000m title and back-to-back Outdoor NCAA 3000m Steeplechase Championships in 2024 and 2025.
In addition to her national titles, she rewrote the history books by setting a historic collegiate record of 8:58.15 in the steeplechase and was named the USTFCCCA Lance Harter Collegiate National Athlete of the Year. In 2025, she was awarded The Bowerman, the highest individual honor in collegiate track and field, becoming the first athlete from the University of Alabama and the first Kenyan recipient in history to win the award.
Diamond League Debut
Lemngole has already left an impression on the global running circuit.
Still a collegiate athlete at the time, she won her Diamond League debut with a stunning victory in the 3,000m steeplechase at the Athletissima meeting in Lausanne. She carried that momentum onto the world stage, representing Kenya at the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, battling through a competitive field to secure a remarkable fifth place finish.
At the Brussels Diamond League Final, Faith Cherotich won the steeplechase with a meeting record of 8:51.61, while Lemngole finished second in a personal best of 8:52.86 after overtaking Olympic champion Winfred Yavi on the home straight. Earlier at the Zürich Weltklasse, Cherotich similarly edged Lemngole, who clocked 8:55.94 to place second just 0.12 seconds behind the winner.
“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. "Watching her dominate the collegiate ranks, rewrite record books, and immediately challenge the best in the world at the Diamond League and World Championships made it a natural decision to offer Doris a professional contract. We are excited to support her as she enters this next chapter of her career on the global stage."
Beginning of a journey
Speaking on her journey with On so far, Lemgole said: “Looking back, signing with On as an NIL athlete was more than just a partnership; it was the beginning of a journey that I will always be grateful for. From the very beginning, the team showed how dedicated they were to me and genuinely cared about me, not only as an athlete but as a person.
“Their belief in me and support throughout my college career meant so much, and having them alongside me through some of the biggest moments of my journey made it even more special. Now, to officially turn professional with On feels like the start of a new chapter in a journey that has already meant so much to me. I’m incredibly grateful, excited, and ready to keep dreaming bigger, chasing new goals, and seeing where this journey takes us next. This is only the beginning.”
The brand On was born in the Swiss Alps in 2010 with the mission to ignite the human spirit through movement – a mission that still guides the brand today. On is present in more than 80 countries globally and engages with a digital community on www.on.com.
