Eliud Kipchoge received threats and abuse after Kelvin Kiptum’s death

Running star Eliud Kipchoge says he has received loads of threats and incitement after competitor Kelvin Kiptum died in a car accident.

Tuesday 7 May at 22:32

– I received a lot of bad things. That they wanted to burn down the training camp, burn down the investments I have made in the city, my house, burn down my family, says double Olympic champion Eliud Kipchoge to BBC Africa.

It all started after the tragic death of Kenyan marathon runner Kelvin Kiptum in February. Kiptum died in a car accident, just a few months after setting a world marathon record.

He was considered the new, big running star – and thus also the biggest competitor to Kipchoge, who in 2019 became the first to run a marathon in under two hours.

After the competitor’s death last winter, Kipchoge discovered that unknown persons accused him of being involved in what happened.

– I was shocked that people on social media said “Eliud is involved in the death of this boy”, says the 39-year-old.

– It’s not true, but that’s the way the world is, he adds.

He says that the death, on the contrary, was “the worst news he has ever received”.

But afterwards the violence became so massive, and the threats so great, that he began to fear whether something could actually happen to himself or his family.

– I do not have the power to go to the police and say that my life is in danger. So I told my family to be extra careful and vigilant.

In the interview, he describes how the fear and excitement have affected his entire family.

– It is hard for my boys to hear “your father has killed someone”.

Kipchoge says all the comments on social media have meant that he has struggled to sleep and perform. He has nevertheless chosen not to close his social media accounts.

– What has happened means that I no longer trust anyone. Not even my own shadow will I trust now.

– These faceless people post horrible things and are really dangerous.

However, the veteran is betting further and will try to take another Olympic gold in the marathon during this summer’s games in Paris. There, the duel against Kiptum should have been one of the big highlights.