Kenyan marathon runner Joan Rotich has come forward to lament how she lost all the prize money she earned from track races to her exploitative ex-lover who betrayed her.
Rotich has represented Kenya on numerous prestigious podiums, where she has earned multiple gold medals.
These include the Buri Ram Marathon in 2018, where she secured first place, as well as the 2018 Doha Marathon in Qatar, where she also clinched the gold medal.
The 38-year-old athlete has also triumphed in the Perth City to Surf Marathon (Perth, 2014), Bayuquan Half Marathon (Yingkou, 2014), Salzburg Marathon (Salzburg, 2014), and Athens Classic Marathon (Athens, 2013), finishing in first place in each of them.
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Despite her numerous accomplishments, Rotich is now in deep distress, unable to enjoy or celebrate the fruits of her labor after being betrayed by those she trusted.
She has been left financially devastated, losing nearly 11 million shillings earned from these races.
“The total amount I won in these races is almost 11 million, but I gave all of it to my ex,” Rotich revealed in a video seen by SportPesa Blog. “I thought this man loved me.”
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She further disclosed how she used part of her winnings to buy two cars for them and to build a large house for her family, only to have her ex take it all.
“I bought cars for our tours, but he put his name on them. I also built a big house, thinking it would be ours, but he took everything.”
The seasoned marathoner went on to explain how the 1.6 million shillings she earned from the Doha Marathon went to waste after an agent she trusted deceived her.
The money was deposited into his account, but the agent vanished, eventually leaving the country.
Rotich shared that she has been trying to contact the agent, but he told her there is nothing she can do.
“There’s another race I won in Qatar, where I earned 1.6 million shillings. The agent he sent us tricked us into depositing the money into his account. Now the man is in Germany—he disappeared,” she added.
“I’ve been trying to reach him, but he keeps telling me there’s nothing I can do.”
“You see, I’m suffering now,” she reiterated.
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Nancy Joan Rotich of Kenya, 26, celebrates on the podium after winning the 31st Athens classic marathon, in a time of 2:41:38, on November 10, 2013 in Athens.
AFP PHOTO /STR (Photo by AFP) (Photo by STR/AFP via Getty Images)