David Rudisha  Rumoured 'clande' Samantha Tangui

Olympic and world record holder in the 800 metres David Rudisha is facing probably the most critical times of his career.

Rudisha missed the first leg of the 2014 Diamond League series in Doha, Qatar on May 9 because of a foot injury. He has been off track for almost a year due to a knee injury he suffered in New York last year June.

Long period of inactivity has affected the career of the legendary athlete who is considered the most outstanding athlete together with Jamaican sprinter Hussein Bolt. Rudisha and Bolt stunned the world when they won the most spectacular gold medals-within minutes-of the London 2012 Games.

There have, however, been rumours that Rudisha’s injuries are linked to a domestic dispute with his wife of four years, Elizabeth Naanyu. Sources have told The Nairobian that possible domestic fights between Rudisha and Naanyu may have caused him to keep off track since last year June.

There have been further claims that the middle-distance runner has been having an affair with the niece of his long time pacesetter, Sammy Tangui.

Sources told The Nairobian that Samantha Tangui, who is in her mid or late 20s, has been involved in a secret affair with Rudisha for three years now. The sources in Eldoret, where Samantha lives, said Naanyu is aware and has severally clashed with her husband over his mistress.

Rudisha and Naanyu got married in Kilgoris in 2010 in a Maasai wedding ceremony, soon after he was crowned IAAF World Athlete of the Year.

When The Nairobian contacted Rudisha, he simply laughed off the allegations. He denied that the alleged fights with Naanyu have caused injuries, which have affected his career.

“My injuries are genuine from the sport and hard training, I even underwent a keyhole surgery after an ultra-sound scan which revealed that I had an injury deep in the middle of my knee, not that I was hurt in a domestic altercation,” Rudisha said.

The athlete said he developed the injury while taking part in a race in New York. Rudisha said he is recovering well and is set to make a comeback at races planned for Oregon in the US.

He, however, did not deny or confirm knowing Samantha.

Naanyu told The Nairobian that allegations about her husband’s infidelity are not true.

“When did you hear those rumours? They are falsehoods meant to tarnish his name because of his stature. How long has this rumour been doing the rounds?” she posed.

However, Rudisha’s pacesetter Tangui admitted he was aware of claims that his partner on track has a secret affair.

“Yes, Samantha is my niece and there have been some rumours that link my track mate with her; but I am in no position to confirm any of this,” he said. “I’m always with Rudisha and if he is keeping the said affair secret, then I can’t tell.”

An incident reported by our sources in Eldoret, that is Rudisha’s training town and Kilgoris, his home seems to support these claims.

A source claimed that Naanyu and her friends had confronted Samantha on Kimalel Street in Eldoret as she was walking into a supermarket.

According to the source, Naanyu and the street vendors “almost beat Samantha up” before she was rescued by an unknown motorist driving a top-of the-range car allegedly belonging to the athlete.

“That was really a stunt. It left Lizzie (Elizabeth, Rudisha’s wife) and her gang of women with nothing else to do other than shout unprintable as the vehicle was being driven away from the scene,” the source said.

The witness further alleged that Rudisha’s recent injuries may have been caused by domestic fights over ‘the other woman.’

When The Nairobian called Samantha on her mobile phone, she went on the defensive and hanged up twice.

A text message sent to her for her confirmation or denial was never replied.

She later replied: “I don’t even know him, but how is that your business anyway? Kindly stop bothering me.”

Another source told The Nairobian that Rudisha and Samantha met through his close association with her uncle.

“How else do you explain the two meeting? It is only through the girl’s uncle that they hooked up and the relationship started,” she said.

She said Rudisha and Samantha’s relationship has been kept a secret by Rudisha’s close friends who have known about their closeness for three years.

A different source said the two are indeed close and have travelled to different locations together.

“Yes, I know Samantha through my brother and she is also a relative of Tangui, the athlete; but what I am quite sure of is that she is Rudisha’s ‘clande’ (secret lover),” she said..

The source claimed Rudisha has built a house for her in Eldoret and bought her a car.