Meet Sabina Chebichi; the first African woman to win women’s marathon & she was barefoot

Sabina Chebichi, sometimes known as the ‘petticoat princess,’ is a former Kenyan middle-distance runner.

Sabina Chebichi was born in the Kenyan county of Trans-Nzoia, northwest of Nairobi, in 1959. She had her early education at Mlimani Primary School.

Chebichi began running in 1972, and her first race was won in Kechiko. Feisal Sherman, the Secretary of Kenya’s Amateur Athletic Association (today Athletics Kenya), sent her a running kit and good shoes after hearing about a schoolgirl competing without any equipment.

Chebichi became the first Kenyan female athlete to win a medal at the Commonwealth Games in 1974, when she won bronze in the 800m Women’s race in 2:02.61 minutes. She later competed in the 4 400 m Relay and the 1500m race.

Sabina Chebichi was selected to compete in the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal, Canada, which were held from July 17 to August 1 before Kenya and other African countries boycotted the games. When she got pregnant, her career came to a halt.