Running News Daily

Evans Chebet has disclosed the key principles behind his remarkable marathon success, sharing insights into his disciplined training, perseverance, and the challenges that shaped his journey to global acclaim.

Former Valencia Marathon champion Evans Chebet has become a towering figure in the world of distance running, boasting an illustrious career with 30 marathons under his belt and three World Major Marathon titles to his name.

From humble beginnings in Elgeyo Marakwet County to the global stage, Chebet’s journey to the top is a shining example of determination, dedication and faith.

Reflecting on his achievements, Chebet, who has conquered courses in Boston and New York, says his success comes down to a simple but powerful mantra.

“The young upcoming athletes should exercise patience in their careers and not take shortcuts. My life story is a testament to that. I did not go past primary school, but the number of countries I have visited are numerous,” he said as per Star.

Chebet attributes much of his triumphs to unwavering discipline and a grueling training regimen.

The 35-year-old marathoner has no background in track running, focusing instead on road races from the start to provide for his family.

This unique approach was shaped by financial hardships that forced him to leave school at an early age to support his widowed mother and nine siblings.

“My father died just before I was born, leaving my mother to shoulder the burden of raising 10 children. I had to drop out of school while in Class Four and start burning charcoal to help her,” he recalled.

“Life was really hard, but I knew as a man, I had to do everything to support my family.”

Chebet’s turning point came in 2005 when his uncle, Isaac Koech, introduced him to running and bought him his first pair of training shoes.

Guided by his uncle and inspired by his late father, who had been a runner, Chebet began training with unwavering determination.

His big break came in 2006 when coach Claudio Berardelli invited him to join the Rosa camp in Kaptagat, where he honed his skills for the global stage.

“Coach Berardelli recruited me and began training me. In so many ways, he has moulded me into the man I am today,” Chebet said, acknowledging the critical role his mentor played in shaping his career.

Over the years, Chebet’s path to glory has been marked by strategic planning and meticulous preparation.

For instance, leading up to his impressive performance at the New York Marathon, he focused intensively on hill work.

“I had trained adequately before the New York race. My main area of focus was hill work and long runs. I used to do 20km to 30km of hill work every day as part of my training,” he revealed.

Despite his rigorous training and consistent results, Chebet has faced setbacks, including being overlooked for Kenya’s Olympic team.

However, he remains optimistic, using each challenge as motivation to push harder.

“It was heartbreaking not to have been included in the team for the Olympics. I know if I had been there, I would have no doubt come back home with gold,” he said.

Chebet’s career highlights include victories at the 2019 Buenos Aires Marathon, the 2020 Lake Biwa and Valencia Marathons, and back-to-back wins at the Boston Marathon in 2022 and 2023.

His win in New York in 2022 further cemented his status as a world-class athlete.

“My target next season is to win both New York and Boston. It’s something I know I am capable of, and I will work towards it,” he said, expressing his desire to continue building his legacy in 2025.

Balancing his career and family life, Chebet draws inspiration from his five children and his wife, Brillian Jepkorir, who is also an athlete.

“I hope my children will take up running in the future,” he said.

To aspiring runners, Chebet offers invaluable advice rooted in his life experience.

“Be prayerful and learn to invest wisely to secure your futures. More importantly, exercise patience and avoid shortcuts. My journey proves that success is possible even when starting from nothing."

Japanese sprint hurdling has witnessed a seismic moment of brilliance as 17-year-old Taiju Goto delivered a performance for the ages at the Japanese Athletics Championships in Aichi Prefecture, rewriting the global U18 record books in spectacular fashion.

In a race that defied expectations and dissolved the boundaries of age-group performance, Goto stormed to a personal best of 48.31 seconds in the 400m hurdles, a time that not only secured him victory in his heat but also sent shockwaves through the senior ranks he was competing against.

Against a field stacked with experienced national-level hurdlers, the teenager displayed remarkable composure, rhythm, and power between barriers, executing a race far beyond his years. His explosive finish down the home straight sealed a statement win and a place in the final, but it was the clock that told the real story.

With this run, Goto has obliterated the U18 world best, becoming the first athlete under 18 years old in history to break the 48.50-second barrier in the event. It is a landmark achievement that elevates him into entirely uncharted territory for junior sprint hurdling.

Beyond age-group dominance, the performance carries even greater statistical weight. His 48.31s now places him 6th on the all-time U20 global list, a staggering feat that underscores just how exceptional this breakthrough truly is when measured against older and more physically developed athletes.

What makes the run even more compelling is the context: Goto did not simply win against his peers—he outperformed senior competitors on one of Japan’s biggest national stages, announcing himself as a generational talent in the making.

As the championships continue, all eyes will now turn to the final, where anticipation builds around whether the teenage sensation can once again rise to the occasion. One thing is already certain—Taiju Goto has stepped into the global spotlight, and he has done so with record-breaking authority.

Rin Kubo has etched her name into Japanese athletics history after completing a remarkable three-peat in the women’s 800m at the Track and Field Japan Championships.

Kubo delivered a winning performance in the final, clocking 2:01.54 to secure her third consecutive national title in the event — a feat that had not been achieved for two decades.

Her historic achievement makes her the first woman since Miho Sugimori’s three straight victories from 2004 to 2006 to dominate the Japanese 800m championships for three consecutive years. Kubo now joins an exclusive group of athletes, becoming only the sixth woman in history to accomplish the milestone.

The victory further highlights Kubo’s consistency and growing influence on Japan’s middle-distance scene. With another national crown added to her collection, she continues to build a legacy among the country’s elite 800m runners.

Her latest triumph is not only a personal milestone but also a reminder of her ability to perform under pressure and maintain excellence across multiple championship seasons.

The race once again showcased Kubo’s tactical strength and composure, as she controlled the competition and produced the decisive finish when it mattered most. Her ability to deliver at major championships has become one of her biggest strengths, separating her from the rest of Japan’s leading 800m contenders.

By securing another national title, Kubo has continued a tradition of excellence in Japanese middle-distance running while creating a new chapter of her own. The three-time champion now stands among the country’s most successful female 800m athletes, with her achievements placing her alongside some of the sport’s historic figures.

As attention turns to future international challenges, Kubo’s remarkable consistency and championship pedigree will make her one of the athletes to watch. Her latest milestone confirms that she is not only a dominant force in Japan but also a rising name on the global middle-distance stage.

Long before women's distance running received the recognition it deserved, a young girl from the historic streets of Porto was quietly preparing to change the sport forever.

Born in the Foz Velha district of Portugal's second-largest city, Rosa Mota grew up battling asthma and sciatica—two conditions that might have convinced many that elite athletics was an impossible dream. In an era when opportunities for female athletes were scarce and expectations even lower, she was often reminded of her supposed limitations.

Rosa chose not to listen.

Instead, she ran.

She ran beyond the boundaries others placed around her. She ran beyond pain. She ran beyond doubt. And in doing so, she became one of the greatest marathon runners the world has ever known.

When the inaugural women's marathon was introduced at the 1982 European Championships in Athens, few outside Portugal expected Rosa Mota to be a contender. The race featured some of the finest distance runners of the era, including Norway's legendary Ingrid Kristiansen.

By the end of the race, expectations had been shattered.

Mota stormed to victory, announcing herself on the international stage and beginning a reign that would redefine women's marathon running. It was not merely a breakthrough win—it was the arrival of a champion whose influence would extend far beyond medals and records.

What made Rosa extraordinary was not overwhelming physical dominance. Her greatness stemmed from something deeper: an unbreakable resilience, remarkable tactical intelligence, and an ability to perform under the highest pressure. She carried herself with calm confidence, but beneath that calm was an iron determination that competitors found impossible to match.

Over the next decade, Mota assembled one of the most remarkable résumés in athletics history.

She became European champion, World champion, and Olympic champion—a combination no other woman has ever held simultaneously in the marathon. Her crowning achievement arrived at the 1988 Olympic Games in Seoul, where she produced a masterclass in championship racing.

With just two kilometres remaining, Mota launched a perfectly timed surge that left her rivals with no answer. She crossed the finish line 13 seconds clear of the field, securing Olympic gold and becoming the first Portuguese woman in history to win an Olympic title.

The victory elevated her from national hero to global icon.

Her success did not stop there.

In 1990, she captured her third Boston Marathon title, further cementing her status among the sport's elite. Later that same year, she defended her European Championship crown in Split in dramatic fashion. After building a commanding lead, she was gradually reeled in by Soviet athlete Valentina Yegorova. Yet when the race entered its decisive moments, Mota found another gear and held on to win by five seconds.

The triumph made history.

No athlete—male or female—had ever won three European marathon titles. Rosa Mota became the first.

Numbers alone illustrate the scale of her dominance. During a remarkable ten-year period, she contested 21 marathons and won 14 of them. Consistency at such a level is almost unheard of, particularly in an event as demanding as the marathon.

The sport itself eventually delivered its verdict.

The Association of International Marathons and Distance Races honoured Mota as the greatest female marathon runner of all time, a distinction reflecting not only her achievements but also the profound impact she had on the development of women's distance running worldwide.

Yet despite her accomplishments, her name is not always mentioned as frequently as some of her male contemporaries. It is one of the lingering injustices of sporting history: many pioneering women achieved greatness equal to any champion, yet their stories often received far less attention.

Rosa Mota deserves to be remembered among the sport's immortals.

Even after retiring from elite competition, she never drifted far from running. She carried the Olympic flame through Athens in 2004, received the prestigious Abebe Bikila Award for her contributions to long-distance running, and continued competing well into her sixties.

Remarkably, age did little to slow her down.

She won the Macau Mini Marathon multiple times and later set a world record for the women's 65–69 age category over 10,000 metres, proving that the spirit which drove her to Olympic glory never faded.

Today, a sports pavilion in Porto proudly bears her name—a fitting tribute to a woman whose achievements transcended generations.

Rosa Mota's story is not simply about medals, records, or championships. It is a story of perseverance. A story of breaking barriers when few believed they should be broken. A story of showing up, year after year, race after race, regardless of the obstacles.

Some champions are remembered because they were loud.

Others are remembered because they changed history.

Rosa Mota did both through the power of her performances alone.

She was a pioneer. She was a trailblazer. She was an Olympic champion.

And for many, she remains the greatest female marathon runner the sport has ever seen.

The countdown is on for one of the most anticipated sprint clashes of the season as the 2026 LA Grand Prix prepares to showcase a world-class men's 100m field on Sunday, June 14 in Los Angeles, USA.

With Olympic champions, world medalists, and some of the fastest men on the planet set to line up, fans can expect a race packed with speed, drama, and fierce competition from the moment the starter's gun fires.

Leading the field is Botswana's sprint sensation, Letsile Tebogo, whose rise to global stardom has transformed him into one of athletics' most exciting figures. Known for his composure, explosive finishing speed, and ability to deliver on the biggest stages, Tebogo arrives in Los Angeles carrying the expectations of a nation and the attention of the athletics world.

Standing in his way is a formidable American contingent led by Kenneth Bednarek, the versatile sprint star who continues to prove himself among the world's elite. While best known for his success over 200 metres, Bednarek has shown that he possesses the raw speed necessary to challenge the very best in the shorter sprint.

The United States will also field experienced speedsters Trayvon Bromell and Christian Coleman, two athletes whose careers have been defined by lightning-fast performances. Bromell remains one of the quickest starters in the sport, while Coleman has built a reputation as one of the greatest 100m specialists of his generation. Their presence guarantees that no margin for error will exist in this race.

Adding further intrigue is Ghana's rising talent Abdul-Rasheed Saminu, who continues to establish himself as a serious contender on the international circuit. Against such elite opposition, the Ghanaian sprinter will have an opportunity to measure himself against some of the sport's biggest names.

The depth of the field is strengthened by American athletes Courtney Lindsey, Brandon Hicklin, and Sam Blaskowski, all capable of producing breakthrough performances when the stakes are highest.

In a sport where consistency is often measured in training blocks and racing seasons, one man has redefined what dedication truly means.

For more than five and a half decades, Steve DeBoer has done something almost unimaginable: he has run every single day.

The 71-year-old Minnesotan has maintained a running streak stretching beyond 55 years, accumulating more than 20,400 consecutive days on the move. Through snowstorms, holidays, family commitments, personal challenges, and the countless disruptions that life inevitably brings, DeBoer has never allowed a day to pass without lacing up his running shoes.

What began as a simple ambition during his teenage years has evolved into one of the most remarkable displays of endurance and discipline in the running world.

Ironically, DeBoer's journey started on a basketball court rather than a running track. As a teenager, he took up running in an effort to improve his fitness and secure a place on his school's basketball team. The plan did not work out as hoped—he failed to make the squad—but the experience ignited a passion that would shape the rest of his life.

While many athletes eventually move on from their youthful ambitions, DeBoer never stopped.

One day became a week. A week became a month. Months turned into years, and years transformed into decades. What started as a fitness routine gradually became a lifelong commitment built on persistence rather than perfection.

His streak survived the harsh winters of Minnesota, where freezing temperatures and deep snow can discourage even the most dedicated runners. It endured vacations, demanding work schedules, family responsibilities, and the unexpected obstacles that often derail long-term goals.

Yet every day, regardless of the circumstances, DeBoer found a way to keep moving forward.

The numbers alone are staggering. More than 20,000 consecutive days of running represent a level of consistency that few athletes in any discipline can match. For most runners, progress is tracked through personal bests, race victories, or annual mileage totals. For DeBoer, success has been measured in something far rarer—the ability to show up every single day for more than half a century.

And remarkably, he is not finished yet.

Now in his seventies, DeBoer has set his sights on an ambitious new challenge. Before reaching his 80th birthday, he hopes to accumulate enough lifetime running miles to equal the distance from Earth to the Moon.

It is a goal that sounds almost impossible at first glance. Then again, so did running every day for 55 years.

His story serves as a powerful reminder that greatness is not always defined by championships, records, or moments of glory. Sometimes it is built through quiet determination, repeated day after day, year after year, for a lifetime.

After more than 20,400 consecutive days of running, Steve DeBoer has already accomplished something extraordinary. And if history is any guide, there is little reason to doubt that his next milestone may be within reach as well.