The debate over which sport translates best to distance running has been ongoing in the running world. However, a British woman at Sunday’s European Cross Country Championships in Antalya, Turkey, may have settled the debate once and for all.
Kate Axford of Bedford, U.K., made her Team GB debut at the 2024 European XC Championships just a year after an injury forced her to retire from professional field hockey. Axford ended up making headlines on the international stage, as she placed 10th overall in the women’s race, emerging as the top British finisher, which led the team to a silver medal.
According to an interview with the BBC, Axford found success in running quickly. She started running at the beginning of 2023, initially heading out a few times a week. Her breakthrough moment came at a local London 5K in early 2023, where she won the race outright in 17:24. From there, she continued setting personal bests over various distances this year, including 1,500m, 3,000m and 5,000m on the track, as well as 5K on the road.
As a teenager, Axford says she dabbled in cross country and track, but fully committed to Great Britain’s field hockey program at 16. However, a hip tear in 2022 limited her ability to handle the sharp movements and direction changes in field hockey. The injury pushed her back toward athletics.
Axford isn’t the only former field hockey player to find quick success in running. Former Dutch marathon record holder Nienke Brinkman won bronze at the 2022 European Championships in the women’s marathon, two years after transitioning from field hockey to running. Brinkman played field hockey in the Dutch National League 2 as a midfielder, but switched to running after a move to Switzerland in 2019.
Why field hockey?
So, what’s the secret behind the success of field hockey players in distance running? It’s the fact that field hockey demands a very high level of speed and endurance. Professional matches last 60 minutes, often without long breaks, requiring players to maintain high endurance levels to compete effectively. Speed is also a crucial aspect of field hockey for several reasons: it allows players to reach the ball quickly, provides more time to control the ball, tires out opponents, plus can be a decisive advantage in close games.


Midfielders, the position both Axford and Brinkman played, must play on both sides of the ball, requiring them to maintain high levels of endurance and concentration. It’s no wonder they’ve both found success in long-distance running, as the marathon and 5K both require the same qualities.