Collegiate

Originally hailing from Baringo County, Kenya, Chelanga moved to the United States on a sports scholarship. He attended Liberty University, with whom he won the 2009 NCAA Men's Cross Country Championship in Terre Haute, Indiana, and set a course record in 28:41.3.^[4] He won a third consecutive title at the Big South Conference cross country championships in October, leading the race by a margin of over half a minute.^[5] In 2010, he defended his title by winning the NCAA cross country championship, becoming only the 11th man in NCAA history to win at least two such titles.^[6] He ended his time at Liberty University with fourteen All-American distance honours.^[7]

^[8]

Professional

Chelanga signed a contract with Nike and made his professional race debut at the B.A.A. 10K in Boston in June 2011 under Jerry Schumacher and managed to take fourth place.^[9]

In November 2013, he won the 77th Manchester Road Race (4.748 miles), an annual race held on Thanksgiving Day in Manchester, Connecticut, in a time of 21 minutes, 31 seconds.^[10] Sam ran a 13:04.35 at Boston University's BU Multi-Team Meet, coming in second. He came in second behind his old college rival Galen Rupp who won in 13:01.26 – a new American indoor 5k record.

From 2013 - January 2015, Sam trained with Dartmouth College alumnus Ben True in Hanover, New Hampshire.

In January 2015, Sam joined coach James Li in Tucson, Arizona.^[11][12][13]

At the 2016 US Olympic Trials, Chelanga finished the 10,000 meters in sixth place, a minute behind winner Galen Rupp. But he was the third fastest in the race to hold a sub-28:00.00 qualifying time.

2014 Annual Bests

Seasonal best

2015

Carlsbad 5000 Results:
1. @LawiLalang1 13:32
2. Wilson Too 13:35
3. @Lagat1500 13:40
4. @SamChelanga 13:50

Wharf to Wharf Santa Cruz to Capitola 6 mile results:
1. Sam Chelanga 27:24.48^[14][15][16]
2. Shadrack Kosgei 27:27
3. John Muritu Watiku 27:28

43rd New Balance Falmouth Road Race
August 16
Sam finished 4th place 32:21 only 4 seconds behind the winner Stephen Sambu.^[17]

USA 5 km Championships CVS/pharmacy Downtown 5k Providence, Rhode Island^[18]
September 20,
1. David Torrence 13:56.0
2. Dan Huling 13:59.0
3. Dathan Ritzenhein 14:03.0
4. Sam Chelanga 14:07.0

USA 10 mile championship on October 4
1. Sam Chelanga 46:47
2. Tyler Pennel
3. Dathan Ritzenhein

2016

Sam placed third in 2016 New York Half Marathon in 1:01:43 on 20.03.2016.^[19]

Sam placed first in Credit Union Cherry Blossom Ten Mile Run in Washington, D.C. Sam ran 10 Miles Road in 48:26 on 03.04.2016.^[20] The first 🇺🇸a male win at @CUCB since Greg Meyer in 1983!^[21]

Sam Chelanga placed fifth in 2016 Payton Jordan Invitational 10,000m in 27:54.57 at Stanford University on 01.05.2016.^[22]

Chelanga qualified for the 2016 US Olympic Trials (track and field) at 2016 Hoka One One Mid Distance Classic May 20 hosted by Occidental College by running 5000 metres in 13:27.53.^[23]

Chelanga placed sixth in the 10,000 m in 28:56.12 and 22nd in 5000 meters in 13:59.52 at 2016 United States Olympic Trials (track and field).^[24]

Chelanga placed second in 59:16 at USATF 20 km Championships at Faxon Law New Haven Road Race.^[25][26]

2017

Chelanga took home fourth place in 30:22.2 at 10 km at 2017 USATF cross country championships on February 4, 2017.^[27]

Chelanga placed first at NACAC 10 km road race on February 26, 2017.^[28][29][30]

Chelange placed first at World best 10 km Road in February in San Juan, Puerto Rico, in a time of 28:19.^[31]

Chelanga placed third in 15 km Road in March in Jacksonville, Florida, in a time of 43:28.^[32]

In May Chelanga served as a pacer for Nike's Breaking2 attempt at achieving a sub-2-hour marathon time.

Chelanga placed ninth in 10,000m at 2017 USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in June in Sacramento in a time of 29:08.29.^[33]

Chelanga placed third in 10 km road in July at Atlanta Journal-Constitution Peachtree Road Race in a time of 28:25 and first at Quad-City Times Bix 7 in a time of 32:53.

Chelanga placed third in September at Faxon Law New Haven Road Race 20 km in a time of 59:16.

Chelanga placed 15th in October at 2017 Chicago Marathon in a time of 2:15:02.

2018

Chelanga placed seventh at 2018 Aramco Half Marathon in 1:00:37.^[34] Chelanga ran the sixth fastest American time all-time for the half marathon behind Ryan Hall (59:43 14 Jan 2007 in Houston Texas), Leonard Korir (59:52 19 Nov 2017 in New Delhi India), Dathan Ritzenhein (60:00 1 Oct 2009 in Birmingham England), Abdihakem Abdirahman (60:29 05 Aug 2007 in New York NY), and Galen Rupp (60:29 20 Mar 2011 in New York NY).