Marathon legend Eliud Kipchoge has spoken publicly about the rumors that circulated on social media following the tragic death of fellow marathoner Kelvin Kiptum in 2024.

Kiptum died in a road crash on February 11, 2024, alongside his coach Gervais Hakizimana, a tragedy that shocked the global athletics community. The accident occurred just days after Kiptum’s marathon world record of 2:00:35 had been officially confirmed.

After the incident, social media was flooded with unverified claims linking Kipchoge to the death—allegations the two-time Olympic champion says took a heavy toll on him and his family.

Speaking during an appearance on Engage Talk aired on Wednesday, March 11, Kipchoge revealed that the accusations led to threats against him and his loved ones.

“I was really down. Down on my knees. I was the oldest athlete in this country. I spent 23 years running; the guy had only spent three years running. How on earth can I kill a small boy?” he said.

Kipchoge added that the rumours created fear within his household, forcing them to change their routines for safety.

“I was threatened; my family was threatened. My boys used to bike to school; we even changed, and my wife started dropping them off at school because of the threats in the estate and in the whole community,” he said.

The marathon icon also disclosed that the situation reached his elderly mother, who had seen the claims circulating online.

“One morning I got a call from my mum that a lot is happening and this too shall pass. I did not know a 70-year-old woman could get all this from social media, but she did,” he added.

Kipchoge, a two-time Olympic marathon champion, held the marathon world record from 2018 until 2023 when it was broken by Kiptum during the 2023 Chicago Marathon.