'I'm a 10k world champion after I took up running in retirement'

Dot Kesterton is wearing two gold and one silver medal round her neck from recent running races. She's smiling and has a red Parkrun t-shirt on. — GB Masters athlete Dot Kesterton won gold at the 2022 World Masters Athletics Championships [Mark Ansell / BBC]

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.

Dot Kesterton wearing the red, white and blue running vest of Great Britain, competing in the 2022 World Masters Athletics Championships in Tampere, Finland. She's surrounded by other female runners in the race and is running along a closed road. — Dot Kesterton competing in the 2022 World Masters Athletics Championships in Tampere, Finland [Dot Kesterton]

Mrs Kesterton said she was "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 was "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."

Dot Kesterton running in Clay Wood, Sheffield, where she trains with the backdrop of the city centre behind her. She's wearing a red Parkrun t shirt, blue shorts and red trainers. It's a sunny, Spring day. — Dot Kesterton training at Clay Wood in Sheffield [Mark Ansell / BBC]

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."

Group of women runners including John Rothwell plus their male running coach John Rothwell at Clay Wood in Sheffield. They're all smiling at the camera having finished their running training session. — Virtual Harriers runners [Mark Ansell/BBC]

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."

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