Mercy Chepngeno: From Running Barefoot Two Years Ago to Joining Hellen Obiri at Swiss Sportswear Brand

Swiss sportswear giant On has announced the signing of 18-year-old Kenyan running prodigy Mercy Chepngeno to a Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) deal.

This partnership represents a major step for Chepngeno, a Form Three student at Chagaik Secondary School, as she joins the brand's roster of elite global student-athletes.

Hailing from the village of Lesirwo in Kenya's Kericho County, Chepngeno first gained international attention in 2024 after images of her competing barefoot at a regional school competition went viral. Since that moment, she has steadily built a reputation as a dominant force in junior athletics.

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Training under the guidance of her coach, Rono, Chepngeno has honed her abilities on the high-altitude trails of Kericho's tea estates.

Her recent performances confirm her status as a future powerhouse in the sport. In 2025, she claimed two national titles at the KSSSA Games in the 1,500m and 2,000m steeplechase. Later that year, she won gold at the Betika Weekend Meet in Machakos.

Chepngeno's success continued on the international stage when she secured a silver medal in the 3,000m steeplechase at the Africa U-20 Championships in Nigeria in December 2025. More recently, she demonstrated her versatility by winning both the 1,500m and 3,000m steeplechase events at the 2026 Track and Field Open in Thika.

Libby Davidson, NIL Athlete Manager at On, expressed the company's enthusiasm for the new partnership.

"At On, we believe that the future of athletics is built by supporting athletes like Mercy who balance immense talent with an incredible work ethic," Davidson stated.

"Mercy’s double win in Thika and her Silver at the Africa U-20 Championships prove she is a star in the making. We are proud to provide the gear and support she needs to pursue her dreams on the track and her ambitions to become a doctor."

Chepngeno joins a stellar list of elite athletes who are signed to On, led by compatriot Hellen Obiri, the two-time Boston and double New York Marathon champion, double Olympics 3,000m steeplechase champion Soufiane El Bakkali, Jamaican sprinter Ackeem Blake and Swiss sprinter Mujinga Kambundji among others.