Serial Gold medalist and retired world record breaker Delilah Asiego appealed to President William Ruto to rescue her from abject poverty.
Appearing on KTN News on Tuesday, June 13, Asiego lamented that she had represented the country on international platforms bringing back home several gold medals yet the government had not offered her any help.
She stated that all the hard work she put into her award-winning career for more than 20 years ought to count.
Asiego, who earned a living by picking tea on farms in Trans Nzoia, is still a world record holder for finishing a 12-kilometre race in 38 minutes and 23 seconds. The record remains standing for 28 years now.
“I have taken part in many competitions representing Kenya for many years. I have brought back so many gold medals and titles but the government is not helping me.
“I was very proud of the world record. I practiced for so many years and what helped me was my speed work. I did not want anyone from the other countries to win so I worked very hard,” she stated.
The elite long-distance athlete noted that she earned up to Ksh30 million for winning races and breaking world records, some of which she splashed on luxury cars.
“I bought a Land Rover from the Netherlands and several other cars including a Ford. I bought all my cars abroad. I was sponsored and for each race I won, I received Ksh698,500 ($5,000) alongside other perks. That was just a bonus,” she added
How Troubles Began
Asiego's woes began abroad with pressure from her family members, especially her husband who called her manager every time she won a race.
According to the gold medalist, her family set out to destroy her property and squander all her money. She explained that she felt used and demotivated, which slowed down her training.
“Every time I had a race, my husband used to watch the television and when he saw me win, he would immediately call my manager demanding that my bonus is directly sent to him.
“I did not have a problem with that at the time because I had a lot of money anyway. I bought a vehicle from Holland at the time with Helen Kimaiyo (an athlete) and brought it home but my family destroyed it,” added Asiego.
She added that she later lost multiple multimillion properties across the country and fell out with many of her family members after she retired.
“I questioned why I was struggling and I lost all hope. I was not able to help my family because of my husband’s relatives. I decided to quit and I now live in regret,” she added.
