Kenya's steeplechase hero Kemboi in stabbing drama

By Vincent Bartoo

Police investigating a stabbing incident linked to Olympian Ezekiel Kemboi (Photo:Stafford Ondego/Standard)

Police in Eldoret are probing an incident in which celebrated Olympian and World Steeplechase champion Ezekiel Kemboi is accused of stabbing a woman.

According to the woman, identified as Ann Njeri, they were drinking with the athlete until around midnight Wednesday.

“We left and as he was dropping me home, he made sexual advances to me and I declined. He locked the vehicle and started demanding it,” she said.

Speaking from her hospital bed at Mediheal Hospital in Eldoret, Njeri said, she managed to reach the unlock button in the car and stormed out.

“But as I was hurriedly opening our gate, he ran and caught up with me. A scuffle ensued and he threatened to kill me. He reached for a knife and stabbed me,” she said.

Njeri remebered she screamed for help before passing out.

 

The athlete sped off from the scene and drove to the Eldoret Police Station where he recorded a statement claiming he had been attacked by thugs.

 

As he left the scene, Kemboi allegedly dropped his personal documents that included a wallet, passport and money in both local and foreign currency which are in the custody of the woman's family.

 

Uasin Gishu District Criminal Investigations Officer (DCIO), Isaac Musyoki, confirmed the incident.

Kemboi is among Kenya's contigent to the London Olympics after he qualified last Saturday at the Nyayo National Stadium.

Recently Kemboi announced he will be switching the gears up to the marathon distance after the London Olympic games.

Kemboi said he is switching to marathon next year after more than ten years on the track. He says he wants to finish on a high in London.

Decade experience

“I have been running this race for almost 12 years and for me London is my last destination on track. I intend to switch to marathon next year,” he said.

Kemboi said he wants to win gold in London, which will be his second after he won it in Athens. There are several youngsters keen to deny him this chance but Kemboi is confident he will prevail.

“It’s not going to be easy. The young athletes are coming through, but I want to do my best and leave the track a winner,” he said.

Kemboi finished second, behind Brimin Kipruto, the Olympic champion, but is not bothered about it because he was only keen to make the Olympic team. The 30-year-old Kemboi became African Junior champion in 2001, but his star began to shine a year later when he won a silver medal at the Commonwealth Games.

This was followed by a gold medal in the 2003 All Africa games, silver at the World Athletic Championships held in Paris and an Olympic gold medal a year late in Athens, Greece. He won 2006 Commonwealth Games but the 2008 Olympic was his worst as he finished seventh.