Nancy Kiprop will be returning to the New York marathon, targeting podium position in November 7th despite fighting coronavirus stigma.
With her husband’s bill reading kshs 2.5 million, she is seeking help. To support Nancy send money through https://secure.changa.co.ke/myweb/share/50139
The three time Vienna City marathon champion will be returning the New York as her first marathon since she competed on the same course in 2019.
Kiprop finished in 4th position timing 2:26.21 at the 2019 edition behind champion Joyciline Jepkosgei (2:22.38), Mary Keitany (2:23.32) and Ruti Aga third in 2:25.51 has not competed in any race for two years and returns to the same course she launched her World Marathon majors career following her dominance at the Vienna City marathon.
“I have been off for two years and the same course I competed last, is the same course I will be running. The two years have been long but I have hope of reaching the podium,” said Kiprop who moved from Iten to Kaptagat as her training base.
She said that her target is to reach the podium because of the challenges she has been undergoing as a mother, nursing her husband Joseph Chelimo who was been in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) for about a month.
The situation affected her training, where she some of her friends and relatives nagged her with condolences messages over the loss of her husband who was alive the ,the last race she competed way back in 2019 despite her training being affected by her condolences messages for her husband who is alive.
“This season has been one of the most challenging ones for me and my family. As I head to New York, the course I last competed in 2019, I want to be on the podium but if God grants me a win, then I will appreciate it. The training and balancing all these issues has not been and walk in the park for me and my family. When it will be my day to win then it will be a great day for me,” said Kiprop.
On the flip side, Kiprop has been battling stigmatization when news spread across her home area that her husband had passed on through coronavirus, receiving condolences messages.
She said her husband, who was admitted in the ICU for one month, is now recuperating at home and with such information, she had to stop training fearing stigmatization.
“When the bad news started spreading that my husband was dead due to COVID-19, it really affected my training sessions. I went into depression for about a week but I had to stand firm for my family and career. I had to start my training and be there for my husband,” said Kiprop.
She said that she had many things to handle like admitting their son at Rift Valley Technical Training Institute as well as their daughter to high school.
“With all these laid upon me, I had to make sure I was sober enough to handle it. Imagine receiving a condolences message yet the man is alive. It is better to get firsthand information before spreading such messages,” warned Kiprop.
She explained that her daughter was the most affected since she had a shop back in Iten and people used to flock to her shop, requesting to know the burial date. She says that she was forced to close down the shop for stigmatization.
“The same happened to me because I own a school and I had to quit going there because the children were aware that my husband had died from COVID-19. The children could run away because their director was a sick person but I thank God he has come out,” added Kiprop