Eliud Kipchoge Says He Received Threats After Kelvin Kiptum’s Passing

• Eliud Kipchoge has opened up about the death of Kelvin Kiptum
• The veteran has disclosed that he received threats after his death
• Kiptum tragically died in a road accident in February in Eldoret

Eliud Kipchoge's name trended on social media days after the death of marathon world record holder, Kelvin Kiptum.

The legendary marathoner has disclosed that he received threats, forcing him to fear for the lives of his family.

Kiptum sadly passed away in a road accident on February 11, along with his Rwandan coach, Gervais Hakizimana.

Kipchoge dominated the men's marathon in the past. He broke the world record twice and won two Olympic gold medals, per World Athletics. The 39-year-old became the only man to run a marathon in under two hours (albeit in a controlled environment).

Kiptum shattered his world record in Chicago in October, shaving 34 seconds to win in 2:00:35. World Athletics had ratified the record before his death.

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Some fans accused the veteran of refusing to congratulate Kiptum when he broke his world record. Others said Kipchoge had a part to play in a conspiracy to kill Kiptum.

In an interview with the BBC, Kipchoge broke his silence about the accusations and abuse.

"I was shocked that people [on] social media platforms are saying 'Eliud is involved in the death of this boy'," he said.

"That was my worst news ever in my life. I received a lot of bad things; that they will burn the (training) camp, they will burn my investments in town, they will burn my house, they will burn my family."

The marathon legend was forced to advise his family to be cautious.

"So my concern was actually to tell my family to be extra conscious and cautious," he said. "I started to call a lot of people. I got really scared of my children going to school and coming back."

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Kipchoge admitted that the abuse affected his performance at the 2024 Tokyo Marathon.

"When I was in Tokyo I had three days which I did not sleep. It was my worst ever position."

Despite the challenges, he wants to make history at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Kipchoge pays tribute to Kiptum

Sports Brief earlier reported on Kipchoge mourning Kiptum following his tragic death in a road accident in Eldoret, western Kenya.

The Kenyan icon wrote a moving tribute on his Instagram. He said he was "devastated" with the passing of the youngster.

Kiptum vs Kipchoge

Sports Brief also recently compared Kiptum's first three marathons to Kipchoge's.

Kiptum still owns three of the fastest 10 marathon records of all time. He recorded the fastest marathon debut in 2022.