In 2012 Jepkemoi started concentrating on the steeplechase and her times improved; her best time that year was 9:23.53, which she ran at the Gugl Games in Linz. She scored her first IAAF Diamond Race points with a third place at Weltklasse Zürich after Sofia Assefa, the original winner, was disqualified for a lane violation. At the Kenyan Championships Jepkemoi placed second and gained selection for the African Championships in Porto Novo, where she won bronze despite falling at the water jump. At the Kenyan Olympic Trials, however, she only placed fifth and failed to qualify for the Olympic team. "Track &amp; Field News" ranked Jepkemoi ninth in the world for 2012, her first top ten ranking.