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Multiple world and Olympics champion Faith Kipyegon wants young athletes to take pride in running barefoot as such humble beginnings can turn them into world beaters.
Faith Kipyegon has advised budding runners not to be afraid to compete barefoot as long as they feel they have the talent.
Kipyegon had the same experience when she was starting out her highly successful career, running barefoot to win a World Cross Country title in Punta Umbria, Spain 14 years ago.
Then just 16, a shy Kipyegon stormed to the junior title with relative ease but what caught the attention of observers was that she was not wearing shoes.
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18:00 - 06.12.2024
Beatrice Chebet, Letsile Tebogo win big as Emmanuel Wanyonyi & Faith Kipyegon illuminate Africa 2024 athletics awards
Kenyan athletes dominated the Africa 2024 awards as Letsile Tebogo and Beatrice Chebet achieved historic recognition for their feats.
She explained how she found it comfortable running without barefoot but it was a launching pad for a career that has seen her become the greatest 1,500m runner of all time, now accustomed to wearing spikes, and she feels those starting out should not worry about lacking shoes.
“I ran my first cross country barefoot and it was 2010 and I was still a very young girl,” Kipyegon said on Citizen TV on Saturday.
“It is painful but at the same time, you are nurturing yourself to get the cross-country tactics. You run cross country barefoot then tomorrow, you get life because if you do not run barefoot, you will not have the transition to come and have spikes in future.”
Kipyegon was one of the star attractions at the Chepsaita Cross Country in Uasin Gishu county on Saturday and witnessed many young runners compete without shoes, rekindling the memories of her humble beginnings.
“It reminds me how I was running barefoot and now I am an Olympics and world champion. It makes me very happy and those youngsters I hope those who know them support them and if they get good coaches, they will be the next Faith Kipyegon,” she added.
Kipyegon has since won four world titles, three in 1,500m and one in 5,000m, three Olympics gold medals (1,500m) while she broke three world records last year, before lowering her own 1,500m mark in July 2024.
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05:20 - 06.12.2024
‘I have been running super-fast’ - Faith Kipyegon shares one thing that has turned her into record-breaking machine
Multiple Olympics champion Faith Kipyegon has opened up on what has made her a record-breaking athlete in recent years having previously struggled to break the glass ceiling.
She is preparing for more world titles at the 2025 World Championships in Tokyo, Japan and hopefully write further chapters of history.
“I am preparing for next year’s World Championships and the Diamond Leagues starting in April,” said the 30-year-old.
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