In 1973, 14-year-old Sabina Chebichi stepped onto the track barefoot and dressed in her school uniform. She had no gear, no coaching, and no expectation of glory—only determination. To everyone’s surprise, she didn’t just run; she won. From that day on, she became known as “The Barefoot Princess.”
Just a year later, at 15, Sabina stood among the world’s best at the 1974 Commonwealth Games. Facing older, better-equipped athletes, she carried the same spirit that had carried her from her village to the global stage. She made history as the first Kenyan woman to win a Commonwealth Games medal, earning bronze in the 800 meters.
Her medal was more than just a victory. It was proof that women—even in the face of poverty and cultural barriers—belonged on the track. Sabina’s courage paved the way for Kenyan women runners who would go on to dominate athletics worldwide.
Her story reminds us that greatness doesn’t always begin in stadiums. Sometimes, it starts with a barefoot girl in a school dress, daring to run toward a future no one else believed in.