Kalenji, the private label of Décathlon for running shoes, has signed a four-year sponsorship deal with Sophie Duarte, a French runner who specializes in the 3,000 meters steeplechase and is the French record holder. The 31-year-old female runner will  participate in the development of new products for the French brand, including the women's version of the Kiprun Comp performance shoes, which is to due to launch at the beginning of 2014. Benjamin Malty, a French cross-country runner who won the latest Paris Marathon, on April 7, wearing a pair of Kiprun Comp is endorsing that line of men's shoes for Kalenji. Duarte is a multi-talented athlete and also competes in cross-country races. She finished in the top 10 in the European Cross Championships, in 2011 and 2012. With the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro in 2016, Duarte plans to shift gradually towards the semi-marathon distance this year, and then to the full marathon as from 2014.

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