Angelina Napoleon (born 3 March 2005) is an American middle- and long-distance runner and steeplechaser.[1]

Early life

From Allegany, New York, she was educated at Allegany-Limestone High School in New York.[2][3] After graduating in 2023 she attended North Carolina State University.[4]

High School

In 2022, Angelina Napoleon became the American national high school record holder in the 2000 metres steeplechase with a time of 6:24.32. In June 2022, she won the New Balance Nationals Outdoor title in 6:30.51 in Philadelphia.[2]

In 2023, she lowered her American national high school record and became national under-20 record holder in the 2000 metres steeplechase, and was named the Gatorade Girls Track and Field National Athlete of the Year.[5] Her fastest time for the 2000m steeplechase that year was 6:18.41 at the NYSPHSAA State Championships. At the 2023 New Balance Nationals Outdoor Championship she successfully defended her steeplechase title in 6:19.53 and finished second in the 800 metres with a time of 2:05.53. That year she had a personal best of 2:03.97 in the 800m, and had a 4:46.38 personal best in the mile run.[3]

NCAA

In June 2024, she placed second in the women's 3000 metres steeplechase at the 2024 USATF U20 Outdoor Championships, running a time of 10:02.27 in Eugene, Oregon.[6] She placed tenth in the 3000 metres steeplechase at the 2024 World Athletics U20 Championships in Lima, Peru in August 2024.[7][8]

Competing for North Carolina State University, she won the Atlantic Coast Conference championship in the 3000m steeplechase on May 16, 2025, in Winston-Salem, running a meeting and school program record time of 9:27.85.[9] She ran a personal best 9:16.66 to finish third in the 3000 metres steeplechase at the 2025 NCAA Outdoor Championships.[10] That month, Napoleon travelled to France to debut in the Diamond League at the 2025 Meeting de Paris, running a personal best time of 9:10.72 to place seventh overall.[11][12] In August 2025 Napoleon signed an NIL deal with adidas.[13]

In October 2025, she was runner-up at the Nuttyville cross country race in Wisconsin, finishing behind teammate Grace Hartman in a North Carolina 1-2 finish.[14] On 31 October, she won the ACC individual cross country title, also leading North Carolina to the team title alongside Hartman, Hannah Gapes and Sadie Engelhardt.[15][16] On 22 November 2025, she competed at the 2025 NCAA Cross Country Championships in Missouri, and won the team title with NC State.[17]

Pro career

She placed second overall in 9:10.96 behind Lexy Halladay-Lowry in the final of the 3000 metres steeplechase at the 2025 USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Eugene, Oregon in August 2025.[18] She was selected for the American team for the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, Japan, where she ran 9:18.03 to qualify for the final of the 3000 metres steeplechase.[19][20] On September 17, 2025, she competed in the World Athletics Championships final for the 3000 meters steeplechase, running 9:17.44 to finish 9th and as the top American in the race. [21]

References

  1. ^ "Angelina Napoleon". World Athletics. Retrieved 19 June 2025.
  2. ^ a b "Angelina Napoleon 1st Place Girls 2000m Steeplechase - New Balance Nationals Outdoor 2022". Runnerspace. 18 June 2022. Retrieved 20 June 2025.
  3. ^ a b "Angelina Napoleon Named Gatorade's National POY". Mile Split. 29 June 2023. Retrieved 20 June 2025.
  4. ^ "Napoleon to compete at NCAA Outdoor Championships". oleantimesherald.com. 5 June 2024. Retrieved 20 June 2025.
  5. ^ "ANGELINA NAPOLEON SELECTED AS GATORADE NATIONAL GIRLS TRACK AND FIELD PLAYER OF THE YEAR". Runnerspace. 29 June 2023. Retrieved 20 June 2025.
  6. ^ "ANGELINA NAPOLEON 2ND PLACE WOMEN'S 3000M STEEPLECHASE - USATF U20 OUTDOOR CHAMPIONSHIPS 2024". Runnerspace. 13 June 2024. Retrieved 20 June 2025.
  7. ^ "3000 METRES STEEPLECHASE WOMEN". World Athletics. 29 August 2024. Retrieved 20 June 2025.
  8. ^ "MOLLY HAYWOOD VAULTS TO GOLD, KARSON GORDON JUMPS TO SILVER IN LIMA". Runnerspace. 30 August 2024. Retrieved 20 June 2025.
  9. ^ "Back on the big stage: After winning ACC title, Napoleon returns to the NCAA track championships". oleantimesherald.com. 11 June 2025. Retrieved 20 June 2025.
  10. ^ Plotkin, Lucy (15 June 2025). "Doris Lemngole Sets NCAA Record In 3000M Steeplechase NCAA Title Win". flotrack. Retrieved 15 June 2025.
  11. ^ Gault, Jonathan (20 June 2025). "Azeddine Habz & Phanuel Koech (Who?) Run 3:27: Paris Diamond League Thoughts". Lets Run. Retrieved 21 June 2025.
  12. ^ Prevor, Harry (19 June 2025). "Can Grant Holloway Turn The Tide On Poor Start To Season? Paris DL Preview". Flo Track. Retrieved 20 June 2025.
  13. ^ "NC State star Angelina Napoleon has signed an NIL deal with adidas". August 21, 2025. Retrieved August 21, 2025.
  14. ^ "Weekend Takeaways: Nuttycombe, Pre-Nats, and more". Flotrack. 21 October 2025. Retrieved 1 November 2025.
  15. ^ "Angelina Napoleon Leads Wolfpack to ACC Women's Title". Dyestat. 31 October 2025. Retrieved 31 October 2025.
  16. ^ "Results - ACC Cross Country Championships 2025". Watch Athletics. 31 October 2025. Retrieved 1 Nov 2025.
  17. ^ "Habtom Samuel, Doris Lemngole Win At 2025 NCAA XC Championships: Full Recap". Flotrack. 22 Nov 2025. Retrieved 22 Nov 2025.
  18. ^ "Women's 3000m Steeplechase Results - USATF Outdoor Championships 2025". Watch Athletics. 31 July 2025. Retrieved 1 August 2025.
  19. ^ "World Athletics Championships, Tokyo 2025". World Athletics. 15 Sep 2025. Retrieved 15 September 2025.
  20. ^ "USA TRACK & FIELD NAMES TEAM FOR 2025 WORLD ATHLETICS CHAMPIONSHIPS". Dyestat. 2 September 2025. Retrieved 2 September 2025.
  21. ^ "Angelina Napoleon Finishes 9th in the Nation & Top American at World Athletics Championships". Go Pack. 17 September 2025. Retrieved 17 September 2025.
source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angelina_Napoleon