Sabina Chebichi: Winning the Commonwealth Games After Running Barefoot 

If there’s one thing that elite athletes agree on, it’s that sporting gear, particularly footwear, can make or break your game. Wearing a properly fitted kit improves comfort and performance, and even prevents injury in some cases. But in 1972, one Kenyan athlete made headlines by competing and winning a race barefoot. Her name was Sabina Chebichi.

The Athletic Prodigy 

Born in Trans Nzoia on 13th June 1959, Sabina was just the average schoolgirl from a humble background who focused on her studies. She was 13 years old when she began taking part in racing competitions and found her footing in the field. Her speed and endurance were unmatched by her peers, and in most races, Sabina breezed past her competition with ease. As she gained more confidence on the track, she sought to showcase her athletic prowess in bigger events. But one obstacle stood in her way – Sabina lacked the finances to purchase a sports kit. But what she lacked in funding, she more than made up for in willpower. 

Image by Mo Amin.

The Petticoat Princess 

In 1973, Sabina signed up for a race in Kericho sponsored by the Brooke Bond tea producing company. Very few people paid heed to the lanky 14-year-old girl at the starting line who had shown up for the race barefoot and in a green petticoat. Some probably even laughed her off and dismissed her attempt as sheer folly. But once the starter for the 800 metre race sounded, she put an end to all speculations about her abilities. Sabina bagged first place in 2:16 and left her competitors biting her dust yet again in the 1,500 metre race by winning with a time of 4:40.  

Sabina’s victories, as well as the shocked look on spectators’ faces, were captured by renowned Kenyan photographer Mo Amin. Word spread quickly about Sabina’s remarkable accomplishments, earning her the title “The Petticoat Princess”. When the Kenya Amateur Athletics Association (today Athletics Kenya) caught wind of her performance, the organization’s secretary, Faisal Sherman, supplied her with a sporting kit complete with shoes.  

Making History 

Having proven herself in this race, she began professional training and was selected to represent Kenya in the Commonwealth Games in Christchurch, New Zealand. On 29th January 1974, Sabina competed in the 800 metre race. She completed in 2:02 and clinched the bronze medal, making history as the first Kenyan female athlete to win a medal at the Commonwealth Games.  

In 1976, Sabina was set to compete in the Summer Olympics in Montreal, Canada. However, Kenya and a good number of other African countries boycotted the games. The countries’ calls for the exclusion of New Zealand, which had sporting ties to South Africa’s apartheid government, from the event had been disregarded. Shortly afterwards, Sabina began her family and shifted her priority from her career to motherhood.  

Sabina’s exploits are etched in the annals of Kenya’s sporting history. We remember The Petticoat Princess for debunking the saying that clothes make a man – or woman in this case. 

#KeWachezaji