Sheffield runner who gave up sport at school is world champion

A retired teacher who gave up running for decades when she was humiliated in a school cross-country race wants to inspire other older people to take up the sport after she became a world champion.

Dot Kesterton, from Sheffield, won gold in the 10k at the World Masters Athletics Championships in Finland three years ago with a time of 47:17.

The 72-year-old is one of seven Masters athletes who have represented their country training at her club, Virtual Harriers in Clay Wood.

She said runners her age needed to channel their “inner child” and remember what it was like to run around in the school playground.

Mrs Kesterton said she had been “distraught” when she was publicly disqualified from the junior cross-country event in her teens.

It was more than 40 years before she returned to the sport when she was persuaded to run with other women.

She said it had been “beyond my wildest dreams” to win the World Masters title in 2022.

“Try and run without smiling, because it can’t be done – and if you’re smiling when you run, you know it’s good for you.”

Her achievements are all the more impressive given that she has recovered from breast cancer and has maintained the times she recorded a decade ago.

Her coach John Rothwell, who is himself 70, described her as an “inspiration”.

“She makes me actually want to dig deeper and do more work and learn more and I learn a heck of a lot from Dot. Dot is very driven.”

Mr Rothwell said he believed bringing together like-minded runners who push each other brought out the best from his athletes.

“Dot is always happy to encourage others, even her rivals.”

Mrs Kesterton is heading to the European Masters Championships in October and has entered the cross-country, 10k and half-marathon events.

“I’ll be running forever; as long as I’m allowed, I shan’t be giving up.”