I didn't get to mourn him: Eliud Kipchoge reveals shock, threats following Kiptum's death

Olympic marathon champion Eliud Kipchoge.  [Jonah Onyango, Standard]

Two-time Olympic marathon champion Eliud Kipchoge has opened up about the challenges he faced after the death of fellow athlete Kelvin Kiptum in February.

In an interview with NTV, Kipchoge described the emotional and psychological toll the tragedy had on him.

"12th of February was really bad. I mourned Kiptum for only 15 minutes," Kipchoge said, recalling how the news of Kiptum's death broke while he was training.

Initially, he and his team thought it was another person with the same name from their neighbourhood. But when they realised it was their colleague, Kipchoge was left in shock.

After rushing home, Kipchoge was confronted with unexpected accusations. "Instead of mourning, I found out people were saying I was the one who killed him," he explained.

Kelvin Kiptum. (Courtesy)

The situation quickly escalated as rumours spread, leading to threats against him, his family, and his property.

"People were discussing how to burn my house, my children, and the training camp," he said, still shocked by the speed and intensity of the online accusations.

Despite the fear these threats caused, Kipchoge remained calm, stating that he wasn't afraid of death.

"If you want to kill me, you can find me on the way to training. I do not have bulletproof protection or bodyguards," the marathon champion remarked.

He admitted, however, that the situation was deeply unsettling, especially since Kiptum's death had been politicised, and some of his training partners were involved in spreading the false claims.

In a separate interview with BBC in May 2024, Kipchoge expressed disbelief at the extent of the rumours.

"I was shocked to see people on social media saying, 'Eliud is involved in this boy's death'," he said.

He described the experience as the worst news of his life and detailed the violent threats he received, including threats to burn his home, training camp, and investments.

Kipchoge's immediate response was to ensure the safety of his family. "I don't have the power to go to the police and tell them my life is in danger," he said.

Instead, he instructed his family to be extra cautious. His children were especially affected, as they had to stop biking around and were dropped off and picked up from school to prevent any potential harm.

While his daughter, who was in boarding school, remained shielded from the social media frenzy, Kipchoge’s sons were not as fortunate.

"It’s tough for my boys to hear, 'Your dad has killed somebody'," he shared.