Athlete Spotlights: Betsy Saina & Clayton Young
February 1, 2024
With the Summer Olympic Games fast approaching, we’re celebrating a few of our amazing ASICS athletes. Join us as we cheer on new athletes each month, starting with long-distance legends Betsy Saina and Clayton Young.
Betsy Saina
Hometown: Eldoret, Kenya
Education: Iowa State University
ASICS Athlete since 2021
Growing up, running was a part of Betsy Saina’s daily routine: “I was that kid who would not want to walk to school. I wanted to run to school.” She fell in love with the sport at a young age and began competing as a teenager in Eldoret, Kenya. After high school, she moved to the United States to attend Iowa State University, where she broke the school’s indoor 5,000-meter race record and earned multiple national accolades—including 11 All-American titles.
After her remarkable college career, Betsy represented Kenya at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games and placed 5th in the 10,000-meter race. Two years later, she won the Paris Marathon—the first marathon race she had ever completed. 2021 proved to be her most eventful year yet as she joined the ASICS family, became eligible to compete for the United States and welcomed her son, Kalya. She’s spent the last year preparing for 2024, balancing parenthood with a rigorous training schedule and achieving her personal best at the Tokyo Marathon.
Clayton Young
Hometown: Provo, UT
Education: Brigham Young University
ASICS Athlete since 2019
Clayton Young enters 2024 as one of the top 10 fastest American marathoners. Born and raised in Utah, he’s been competing since he was a student at American Fork High School; there, he earned an individual cross country state title in 2010 and ran on three state championship-winning teams.
As a runner at Brigham Young University, Clayton found success in a range of distances. He won his first national title as a senior and continued to compete while earning his master’s degree in mechanical engineering. In 2023, he crossed the Chicago Marathon finish line with a lightning-quick time of 2:08:00, meeting the standard for the 2024 Olympic Games. When he’s not training, racing, or working, he’s spending time with his wife, Ashley, and their two daughters.
On February 3rd, both Betsy and Clayton raced in the U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials, with Clayton finishing 2nd in the men’s race and earning a spot in Paris. Congratulations to both athletes on their incredible efforts!