Mary ngugi-Cooper

Mary Ngugi-Cooper is a highly accomplished Kenyan distance runner from Nyahururu, born 17 December 1988.

World Athletics lists her marathon personal best as 2:19:26, recorded in October 2025.

Her major achievements 🥈 2014 World Half Marathon Championships silver medalist. 🥉 2016 World Half Marathon Championships bronze medalist. 🥉 2021 Boston Marathon — 3rd, 2:25:20. 🥉 2022 Boston Marathon — 3rd, 2:21:32. 🏃‍♀️ 2022 London Marathon — 7th, 2:20:22. 🏆 2024 Great North Run — 1st in 1:07:40. 🏆 2024 Rome Half Marathon — 1st. Boston Athletic Association +1 2024 Boston Marathon — 6th in 2:24:24. Boston Athletic Association

She is also the founder of Nala Track Club, a girls-only training and development program in Nyahururu aimed at supporting young female runners through athletics, education and a safer training environment.

She is married to Chris Cooper, which is where the “Cooper” in her name comes from.

She was previously married to the late Olympic marathon champion Samuel Wanjiru.