Behind an athlete’s homicide, a story of a relationship gone fallacious

Last month, Kenya’s Agnes Jebet Tirop, 25, set a world file of half-hour and 1 second in a 10K run to proceed her regular rise in observe and area.
Earlier this week although, her physique was found at her house in Iten, in West Kenya, with a number of deadly stab wounds. Her husband Emmanuel Rotich, the prime suspect, was arrested a day later as he was allegedly trying to flee the nation.
Tirop’s achievements
Tirop first burst onto the scene on the 2015 World Cross Country Championship, when the then 19-year-old turned the youngest to win the occasion since South African Zola Budd claimed the title in 1985.
The Kenyan long-distance runner is a two-time bronze medallist on the World Championships (2017 and 2019) within the 10,000 metres and he or she just lately completed fourth within the 5,000m on the Tokyo Olympics. Given her age although, she was broadly anticipated to win extra main medals.
Relationship troubles
Tirop had reportedly been in a relationship with Rotich for over 5 years. Her mother and father didn’t approve of the marriage because the couple allegedly eloped, and in addition since Rotich was in his early 40s.
“They saw him as someone who was not straightforward in many ways, also the age bracket was very huge and a hindrance,” Kenyan newspaper People Daily quoted a relative.

Agnes Jebet Tirop who smashed the ladies’s 10k world file final month discovered lifeless in her home in Iten, Elgeyo Marakwet County.She had stab wounds within the stomach. pic.twitter.com/m3BtSVVnHq
— Abst (@brianmuuo) October 13, 2021
The relationship began deteriorating although when Tirop caught Rotich having an extramarital affair.
“They never recovered from a fight after Tirop found him with another woman in their matrimonial home, two weeks before the Olympic trials in June,” People Daily quoted a neighbour, Joan Chemos.
Eye on property
According to the People Daily, not one of the neighbours knew Rotich nicely as he stored to himself. Tirop’s household, although, have accused him of taking up her property. Allegedly, every time Tirop invested in property – she was reportedly on the verge of beginning a poultry farming enterprise – Rotich ensured his title was additionally on the sale deed.
“Manu (Rotich) was a selfish person. He had everything. He was pampered more than the family members,” Tirop’s brother Josephat Keter stated to Citizen TV. “When she came back (from Tokyo) she found out that her husband was cheating on her with other women. That was the genesis of their troubles and they parted ways. Agnes came home and informed us that she and Emmanuel had a strained relationship.”

Eventually, there have been additionally stories of home violence.
“She was beaten overnight on the day she landed from Tokyo. Her face was swollen,” Tirop’s sister Everlyne Chemwetich informed Kenyan newspaper Daily Nation.
Controlling husbands
Athletes being lured by “coaches” who turn into “spouses” and begin to management the monetary rewards earned by the runner is kind of widespread within the nation.
Based on what Iten-based athletics coach Peter Bii asserted, it seems Tirop too had fallen for the lure.
“We have a crop of men whose job is to identify potential athletes and befriend them. Once the female athlete starts progressing, the men who masquerade as coaches and spouses control everything,” he informed People Daily.
“We have to empower our female athletes mentally and financially, so that they can take full responsibility of their hard-earned money. They need to be independent thinkers. Have your own bank account, control your finances and your investment and don’t transfer everything to your spouse or boyfriend.”
Another ugly homicide
A day earlier than Tirop’s physique was found, a neighborhood marathoner from Kirinyaga – about 110 km from Nairobi – had allegedly been killed by her boyfriend.
News company Kenyans.co.ke reported that 27-year-old Edith Muthoni was ‘hacked in the head’ by her boyfriend of three years Kennedy Nyamu. Muthoni had allegedly been making an attempt to go looking by way of Nyamu’s cellphone on suspicion that he was dishonest on her, earlier than he attacked her.
Muthoni was recognized to be a eager runner at native marathons and labored as a neighborhood scout for the Kenya Wildlife Service.