Faith Kipyegon isn’t just a runner; she’s a symphony of grace, speed, and determination. Her every stride presses not only the track but also the hearts of her fans worldwide. This Kenyan sensation, who has become the very definition of excellence, had humble beginnings, starting her journey with basic equipment and a modest lifestyle.

Now, as she prepares to complete a historic hat trick of Olympic gold medals, there’s something fascinating beyond her athletic achievements. Believe it or not, one of the quirkiest aspects of Faith’s journey has been her relationship with shoes. 

Discover whether Faith Kipyegon runs without shoes or not

The Kenyan star’s athletic journey began very unexpectedly. Despite belonging to an athletic background, with her sister a long-distance runner and her father Samuel a giant force in the 400m and 800m categories, Kipyegon did not realize her potential until she was in school. It was only brought to light when her PE teacher asked her to try a 1-kilometer walk, which she won by a margin of 20 meters. And two years after her introduction to the sport, she competed at the World Cross Country Championships in Poland, without shoes!

The trend followed even at the World Junior Cross Country Championships in Spain in 2011 when Faith Kipyegon won her first individual global title. However, times have changed now. With great triumphs came great evolution, and Kipyegon fails to even remember how to run without shoes. 

As Kipyegon prepares to win her third consecutive gold medal in the 1500m category at the Olympics, she revealed that she can no longer run without shoes. “I didn’t know how to use spikes by then. Now I don’t know how to run barefoot anymore,” she said. But her barefoot victories became possible only because of her experiences at school.

In an interview with Al Jazeera, the star runner revealed, “I used to run barefoot from my village to the primary school because in Kenya, schools are so far that you always end up running in order to reach them in time.” Despite the changes in her approach, she has not failed to reign supreme. In 2023, she won all records over 1500m, one mile, and 5,000m to cement her status as the undisputed queen of the sport. “I wrote in my diary that 2023 will be a special year and it came true,” she told BBC Sport Africa last year. But, even after the transition, she has not failed to express her admiration for her beginnings.

The Kenyan track and field star claims she was comfortable running barefoot

The Kenyan track and field star is an inspiration for many athletes who come from humble backgrounds and desire to shine brightly. As she has progressed to one of the finest stages of her career, she has continued to look back on her initial days without regret.

Speaking about running without shoes, Faith Kipyegon has expressed her comfort in running without shoes, per the BBC. “I was comfortable to run barefoot at the time, I didn’t have shoes by then.” Continuing further, she shared the importance of her struggling days in her career. “That put me in another level whereby I have to believe in myself – that everything in life goes step by step and at the end you will achieve what you want.”

Coming back to her Olympic dream, it would be interesting to see if the World Champion can win her third consecutive gold after Rio de Janeiro and Tokyo and establish herself as the sensation of the track and field court yet again.