News

Eliud Kipchoge’s Emotional Interview Addresses Speculation Surrounding Kelvin Kiptum’s Death and Threats he Received

Written by moradio on 7 May 2024

NAIROBI, Kenya, May 7- World-record marathoner Eliud Kipchoge broke down into tears as he opened up about a harrowing experience following social media rumors allegedly linking him to the death of fellow marathoner Kelvin Kiptum.

In an interview with BBC Sports, Kipchoge revealed receiving death threats online, instilling significant fear in him. “All the social media platforms were claiming, ‘Eliud was involved in the death of this boy.’ I received a lot of bad things,” Eliud shared.

The athlete recounted numerous threatening messages targeting his family and career, leading to emotional distress. “Among the barrage of attacks directed his way included death threats targeting his family, doing away with his investments, burning down his house and even shutting down his training camp,” he stated.

Kipchoge emphasized that the reported incident did not occur but acknowledged the distress it caused. “It did not happen but that is how the world is,” he noted.

The ordeal prompted Kipchoge to take precautionary measures to protect his family and change training venues. “I started to call a lot of people, I got really scared,” he recalled.

Despite the challenges, he found solace in his mother’s encouragement. “My worst moment came when I called my mom and she told me to take care. But she gave me courage,” he recounted.

The tragic death of Kelvin Kiptum in a road accident on February 12 deeply affected the running community. His funeral, attended by dignitaries including President William Ruto, took place on February 23 in Chepsamo, Elgeyo Marakwet County.