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Latina Olympian Runner Brenda Martinez Couldn’t Afford Shoes – Now She Donates Them to Girls

reclaimingthelatinatag:

When the Mexican-American athlete started running track at age 5, her low-income parents couldn’t afford the shoes she needed, causing some trips on the field. Now, the 28-year-old is competing on the U.S. team in the women’s 1,500-meter race in the Rio Olympics, and she’s using her celebrity to give back to young runners.

“I remember when I was young and my parents couldn’t afford to buy me a new pair of running shoes,” she wrote on Instagram. “The shoes I wore to school were the same shoes I wore to practice. My father would always try to find running shoes on the clearance rack. I’m donating back to the sport that gave me a fighting chance in the world.”