Kenyan distance-running great Tegla Loroupe has welcomed the inclusion of refugee athletes at the Asian Games and called for closer cooperation between Africa and Asia in sports development. Speaking to CGTN Sports Scene's Shen Xiang, the former marathon world record holder said giving displaced athletes opportunities to compete was particularly important, because becoming refugees was not their choice.

The 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games featured an OCA Refugee Team for the first time. The two members are Syrian taekwondo competitors Mahmoud Al Jasem Al Mohammad Al Hussein and Talah Al Hassan Al Hinide, who have both been living in Jordan's Azraq refugee camp.

Loroupe, who has played a prominent role in supporting refugee athletes for more than a decade, recalled first approaching the International Olympic Committee about creating opportunities for them after seeing the circumstances faced by refugees in Kenya.

She was later appointed as Chef de Mission for the first Refugee Olympic Team at the 2016 Rio Summer Olympics. That historic group consisted of 10 athletes, with six competing in track and field.

Loroupe also highlighted the potential for greater cooperation between Africa and Asia. She noted that many African athletes have fewer opportunities to take part in sports that require specialized facilities, while the continent's experience in distance running could benefit Asian competitors.

The 53-year-old pointed to her native Kenya as a potential training destination, saying athletes from Asia could learn from the country's distance-running expertise, while also enjoying its hospitality.

Loroupe then reflected on the progress she has seen in Chinese sports since first racing alongside an athlete from the country in 1993. She added that China's long-distance runners have become increasingly competitive and praised the nation's efforts to encourage young people to participate in sports.

The three-time world half marathon champion concluded with advice for young athletes in Africa and Asia, stressing the importance of discipline, self-belief, hard work and listening to experienced coaches, rather than relying heavily on social media.

Loroupe won three consecutive half marathon world titles from 1997 to 1999 and twice broke the women's marathon world record, lowering the mark to 2:20:43 in Berlin in 1999.