Broken hearts: How athletic stars lost over KSh 400m to 'gold diggers'

For Kenya’s elite female athletes, victory on the track is meant to bring glory, wealth and admiration.

They train tirelessly, breaking records and making history, their names etched in gold. But behind the medals, cheering crowds, and the million-dollar prize money, many have faced devastating betrayal at the hands of the very men they once trusted.

Some of Kenya’s most celebrated sportswomen, Pamela Jelimo, Lucy Kabuu, Agnes Tirop, Joan Rotich, Rebecca Cheptegei (Ugandan living in Kenya), and Vivian Cheruiyot, have suffered heartbreak, financial ruin, and even deadly violence.

Their personal lives, riddled with manipulation and betrayal, reveal a chilling reality: for many of them, the biggest battles were not fought on the track but in their own homes.

Joan Rotich’s tragic story went viral after she bravely shared her ordeal in a candid video. A talented athlete who had made millions from international races, she never imagined that the man she loved, Samuel Kiplagat, would be the one to orchestrate her downfall.

Rotich had built a luxurious home, believing it would be her matrimonial haven. But love turned into deception. Her boyfriend manipulated her into registering all their properties in his name, including a tour and travel vehicle. “Ni gari moja niliyonunua na pesa yangu yote. Almost 2.8 million. Inaenda Masai Mara. Gari ya tours na ingine alinidanganya nikampa Sh500,000. Eti nijaze ndio ikienda kazi hata mimi nipate pesa,” she said. (It’s one vehicle I bought with all my money— almost Sh 2.8 million. It operates tours to Maasai Mara. He tricked me into giving him Sh500,000, claiming I’d later get a share of the profits.)

To add insult to injury, she later discovered that the man she had fallen head over heels for was already married with a family.

“Sijawai pewa chochote hadi sahii. For the last five years. That guy ruined my life,” Rotich narrated. (I have never received anything to date. For the last five years, that guy ruined my life.)

Her nightmare didn’t end there. An agent she identified as Henry Sang also conned her and other athletes out of Sh1.6 million she had won in a race in Qatar, disappearing without a trace.

“The agent took five of us to race in Qatar. I won, but the money was deposited into his account. He refused to send me my balance. When we confronted him, he said there was nothing we could do. He is now in Canada.”

The woman who once commanded global recognition in athletics was left fighting for survival, a victim of love turned treachery. 

Lucy Kabuu was one of Kenya’s most decorated marathoners, with major victories, including the Nagoya Women’s Marathon, under her belt. 

Her athletic prowess had earned her over Sh100 million, allowing her to invest in real estate, businesses, and luxury assets.  Yet, even wealth and success could not shield her from personal ruin. Her marriage to Jeremiah Maina ended in a bitter divorce, with Maina demanding half of her fortune. 

He claimed that the wealth she had accumulated was acquired during their union and, therefore, legally shared property. 

The court battles that followed became an ugly spectacle, exposing the harsh reality that while female athletes dominate the track, they often struggle to keep control of their finances in relationships. 

Kabuu’s painful experience became a cautionary tale, proving that in love and wealth, one must tread carefully. 

In 2008, Pamela Jelimo became a national treasure. She won an Olympic gold medal in the 800m at the Beijing Games and secured the Golden League jackpot, pocketing a staggering $1 million (approximately Sh129 million). 

At just 18, she was Kenya’s youngest track sensation, hailed as the next big thing. But while the world celebrated her achievements, her personal life was in turmoil. 

Her marriage to Peter Kiprotich Murrey, which had seemed like a fairy tale, quickly turned into a bitter legal battle.  Murrey, the man she had loved since high school, dragged her to court, demanding a share of her hard-earned fortune. 

Even the ownership of a Massey Ferguson tractor became a symbol of their broken relationship. 

“We moved from being an almost invisible couple to this famous and wealthy couple by Kenyan standards. Suddenly, we had too many friends and advisers. My wife, the woman I’d known since high school, could no longer trust me. I felt like a squatter in my own home,” Murrey lamented. 

The once-vibrant Jelimo, exhausted by the public spectacle of her marriage, retreated into privacy, avoiding interviews and the limelight she once thrived in. 

Agnes Tirop was a rising star, a two-time World Championships bronze medallist, and a world record holder. She had a promising future, with millions earned from international races and endorsements. 

But behind the success was a woman trapped in an abusive relationship. 

On 13 October 2021, the nation was shocked when Tirop was found dead in her home in Iten. She had suffered multiple stab wounds. The prime suspect? Her husband, Ibrahim Rotich, was later arrested while allegedly attempting to flee the country. 

Reports later revealed that financial disputes were at the core of the toxic relationship. Rotich allegedly controlled her earnings and career decisions, treating her wealth as his own. 

Almost three years later, another horrifying tragedy rocked the athletics world. On September 5, 2024, Ugandan marathoner Rebecca Cheptegei, 33, was killed in a gruesome act of violence. 

After a heated argument with her ex-boyfriend allegedly over a piece of land and infidelity, he set her ablaze, leaving her with fatal burns. 

Her murder reinforced a growing fear, that fame and fortune often attract dangerous partners more interested in control than love. 

Vivian Cheruiyot, fondly known as “The Pocket Rocket,” is a four-time world champion, Olympic gold medallist, and one of Kenya’s richest athletes. 

Yet, despite her impressive career, her personal life has been anything but smooth. Her marriage to Moses Kiplagat has been marred by allegations of financial mismanagement. 

Vivian accused Kiplagat of mishandling their wealth, particularly proceeds from their agricultural land. 

The women, some surviving, others tragically lost, are painful reminders of the dark side of fame. Their experiences highlight the dangers of financial exploitation, emotional manipulation, and even deadly violence. 

For Kenya’s female athletes, the real race is not just against time and competitors but also against betrayal, control, and greed. Their stories raise a critical question: How can female athletes protect their wealth, their hearts, and ultimately, their lives?