Kenyan athlete Eliud Kipchoge, who is also a world record holder, broke down in tears as he talked about a terrifying experience following the spread of false information on social media that he was involved in Kelvin Kiptum’s, death.
READ ALSO: You Never Congratulated him When He Broke Your Record ~ Kenyans on Twitter Call Out Eliud Kipchoge For Celebrating the Late Kiptum after his Demise
Speaking during an interview with BBC Sports, Kipchoge claimed he received death threats from users online, something the two-time Olympic gold medalist claimed instilled a lot of fear in him.
“I received a lot of bad news that they would burn my investments in town; they would burn my house and my family, so that was actually my worst news in my life.” Eliud opened up.
The athlete recounted receiving several messages, including threats targeting his family and even his career. This is actually because the 39-year-old didn’t send congratulatory messages to the late Kelvin Kiptum but was quick to send condolences.
“I started to call a lot of people to see if they were safe, but the first person I called was my mother…..” Eliud Shared
Shattered Trust
He was shocked upon realizing that quite a number of social media platforms were saying that he was involved in Kelvin Kiptum’s death. An incident that made him realize that friendships don’t last.
“It was really painful to learn that even my own people—those whom I have contact with, including my teammates—expressed bad words towards me. I realized that friendships cannot last forever.
How The Public Trolls Affected his Career
The 39-year-old said the public trolls cost him his championship marathon in Tokyo and that he finished in 10th place, a position he says he has never finished in.
“In Tokyo, I had 3 days that I did not sleep day and night. I actually don’t know where the sleep went, but I did not sleep.”
READ ALSO: Kenyan Athlete Kelvin Kiptum Dies in a Gruesome Road Accident
On February 12, world-record marathoner Kelvin Kiptum reportedly died in a road accident at Kaptagat on the Elgeyo Marakwet-Ravine road.