Meet Ukraine’s Pride & Joy
Samunnati Nataliya Lehonkova
Elite level marathon champion
grass-roots funded
About
Introducing Samunnati Nataliya Lehonkova
Currently ranked #2 (women’s marathon) in Ukraine, Samunnati is a professional runner with a number of amazing achievements, including six first place wins. Amazingly, she runs completely free of corporate sponsors, relying on community support instead.
2:28:58
Dublin Marathon 2017 (PR)
2:30:28
Rotterdam Marathon 2021
1:12:47
PKO Białystok Half Marathon 2023
Background
A Divinely Inspired Runner
Samunnati comes from a very simple village in Ukraine. Her running career was launched after learning about meditation and the connection between sports and spirituality from spiritual master Sri Chinmoy.
The name “Samunnati” means exaltation (a state of extreme happiness), spiritual height, dignity, and prosperity. She began her spiritual journey with the Sri Chinmoy Centre in 2005 and continues to this day.
Videos
Highlights from Previous Races
Samunnati won the women’s division of the Skechers Performance Los Angeles Marathon on February 14, 2016, in an amazing time of 2:30:39, ahead of 25,000 other competitors! She led the entire race and her time marked her personal record, shortly after she won the Dublin Marathon. The stadium-to-the-sea race began at Dodger Stadium near downtown L.A. and ended not far from the beach by the Santa Monica Pier. She said, that it was a tough race for her, but she was chanting “Supreme” and “Gratitude” the whole way.
On October 24, 2021, she won second place in the Rotterdam Marathon women’s division, with a time of two hours, thirty minutes and 28 seconds (02:30:28), placing between two top Kenyan runners.
On May 14, 2023, she won the PKO Białystok half marathon, in a personal best of 1:12:47.
See races on Marathonview.net or World Athletics or ARRS
selected achievements
Marathons
Idenburg 2012
First Place
Belfast 2013
First Place
Los Angeles 2016
First Place
Rio Olympics 2016
Seventy-Fifth Place
Toulouse 2012
First Place
Linz 2014
Second Place
Dublin 2017
First Place
Jaarbeurs Utrecht 2012
Second Place
Dublin 2015
First Place
Rotterdam 2021
Second Place
Half Marathons
Trieste Spring Run Italy 2022
First Place
Bishkek 2021
Second Place
PKO Białystok 2023
First Place
Other Races
Goleniów, Poland 10k 2021
Second Place
Ukraine 8k Cross Country 2021
Second Place
Amount Raised From This Website Thus Far:
$4463
Annual Goal:
$18,000
Or $1,500 /mo. x 12 months
gratitude from samunnati
Thank you to the following 28 people for your contributions:
(
= monthly recurring donation)
Y. Thian Beng
T. Leósson
L. Ineichen
B. Weisbrot
E. Oliver
A. Schäfer
M. Payne
A. Schuringa
A. Fülöp
G. Szabo
M Pezzini
M. Cropper
J. Young
A. Siegel
P. Kaftan
G. Corradini
B. Weisbrot
R. Warmers
P. Kaftan
G. Corradini
C. Nolina Gauthier
K. Misani
I. Pipkine
Z. Saltzman
K. Carnahan
A. Hein (web hosting)
P. Carlaw
S. Scheucher
Hungarian Sri Chinmoy Centre
“I run for God, for joy, and for spiritual progress. I am grateful for the opportunity to serve the running community in whatever way I can. Most importantly, I never, ever, give up, no matter how difficult the odds may seem.”
Samunnati, Los Angeles Marathon – 1st Place
Support Samunnati’s Running!
Samunnati requires approximately $1,500 per month to support her career, which is not a great deal of money by modern standards. Please consider donating one time, or a recurring amount. Every dollar counts!