Eliud Kipchoge Breaks Silence About Threats After Kelvin Kiptum's Death: 'I Was Really Down'

Eliud Kipchoge has opened up about how he struggled to cope with Kelvin Kiptum’s death after he was accused of taking his life.

On February 11, 2024, marathon world record holder Kelvin Kiptum died in a tragic road accident in Kenya at the age of 24.

Police reports indicated that Kelvin Kiptum lost control of his vehicle while driving on the Eldoret-Kaptagat road, causing it to veer into a ditch and strike a large tree.

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The crash also claimed the life of his coach, Gervais Hakizimana, while a third passenger survived with serious injuries.

Eliud Kipchoge recounted how he first learned about Kelvin Kiptum’s death, explaining that someone close to him had approached and informed him.

However, at first, he misunderstood which Kelvin Kiptum had been involved. After the situation was clarified, he was shocked and went to his house, spending a brief time upstairs before checking his phone, where he confirmed that Kiptum had indeed died in a road accident.

The former world marathon record holder noted, however, that the accident itself was not the main reason for the impact it had on him.

“Social media was everywhere, saying Eliud killed Kiptum in a road accident. And I was really down. Down to my knees. Because I asked, I am the oldest athlete in this country, and the guy has only spent three years running,” Eliud Kipchoge said on Engage.

“I have spent 23 years running. How on earth can I kill a small boy? I was threatened. My family was threatened. We even changed…my boys used to ride to school. We changed, and my wife started to actually drop them off at school because of a lot of threatening, the whole community.

“For the last 20 years, I have never been tribal. And maybe a few who are here. Because I have never attended a meeting where we discuss another community. But because I am a Nandi, I was told that this is the man who kills people.”

Eliud Kipchoge recalled that the next morning, when he went into town, he noticed that everyone around seemed to be fleeing, and he feared that the situation could have serious consequences.

Despite everything happening, what eventually lifted his spirits was seeing that his children were unaware of the chaos around them. His daughter, who was in Form 4 at the time, was completely insulated from the events, partly because students did not carry phones and had no way of hearing the news.

That brought him a sense of relief. Eliud Kipchoge also remembered receiving a call from his mother that morning, who reassured him that although a lot was going on, he should stay strong and that the difficulties would eventually pass.

“But I walked, when I was in town the following morning, everybody was actually running away. This one might actually take our lives again. And, you know, a lot happened. But what actually made me, you know, happy again is that my boys did not recognise what was going on,” he added.

“My girl was in Form 4 at that time, and you know, the good thing with students is that they don't carry phones. And she doesn't hear anything at all. That was my happiness. One morning, I got a call from my mother. She told me a lot is going on. But take heart. These things will pass.”