Placeholder Content Image

“Outrageous”: Silver medal stripped after illegal act

<p>The women's 5,000m final has ended in controversy after the second place holder was stripped of her medal and disqualified. </p> <p>Kenya’s Beatrice Chebet took out first place in the final, while her fellow countrywoman Faith Kipyegon crossed the line second. </p> <p>The two Kenyan champions were seen celebrating with their country's flag after the race concluded, but their celebrations were cut short when news of Kipyegon's disqualification came through. </p> <p>Replays show that with two laps of the race to go, Kipyegon became entangled in a close proximity battle with Ethiopian rival Gudaf Tsegay as they raced for the first place. </p> <p>Kipyegon appeared to pull on the arm of Tsegay who reacted angrily by fending off the Kenyan.</p> <p>A Eurosport commentator was in disbelief over the display and couldn’t quite believe Kipyegon had been disqualified over the act. </p> <p>“That was outrageous I’m afraid. I am astonished,” he said on the global broadcast.</p> <p>“That was dreadful. She was not in front of her and shouldn’t have moved into her space. She wasn’t remotely far enough in front of her. There’s a rule you cannot [enter] into the space of an athlete where their feet are landing. Tsegay there was very out of order."</p> <p>“I think Tsegay was pushing into Kipyegon. Kipyegon just tried to protect her area, her zone so to speak."</p> <p>“If anything from those pictures what I’ve witnessed so far, and we need to get more information, I think Tsegay should have been disqualified. I am utterly flabbergasted. I cannot believe it. If anything they’ve got it completely wrong.”</p> <p>Because of the disqualification, Dutchwoman Sifansaw Hassan moved into the silver medal position, while Italy’s Nadia Battocletti took bronze.</p> <p>The Kenyan team officials, however, were determined to fight the disqualification, as they swiftly filed an appeal, arguing that the contact between the two athletes was incidental and did not warrant being stripped of her medal.</p> <p>After a thorough review of the incident, the appeal panel agreed with the Kenyan team’s assessment, concluding that the contact was part of the natural dynamics of a highly competitive race.</p> <p>As a result, Kipyegon's silver medal was reinstated.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Dave Shopland/Shutterstock Editorial </em></p> <p style="box-sizing: inherit; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-size-adjust: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-variant-alternates: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-position: inherit; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 24px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: #2e1c1c; font-family: Commissioner, sans-serif;"><span style="caret-color: #2e1c1c; font-size: 20px;"> </span></span></p>

Legal

Placeholder Content Image

Arrests made over record-holder's sudden tragic death

<p>Arrests have been made after Kelvin Kiptum's father claimed that four men had attended his home looking for the Kenyan superstar before his death. </p> <p>The marathon world record holder tragically <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/health/caring/world-record-holder-dies-tragically-at-age-24" target="_blank" rel="noopener">passed away</a> at the age of 24, after a horrific collision that occurred in Western Kenya on Monday killed both him and his coach Gervais Hakizimana. </p> <p>Kenyan police have arrested four unidentified men after Kiptum's father, Samson Cheruiyot, called for an investigation into a visit that he said occurred just before the accident. </p> <p>"The four were taken to Elgeyo Marakwet for further investigations,"  Keiyo South Sub County commandant Abdullahi Dahir said. </p> <p>"They all come from Uasin Gishu County."</p> <p>Kiptum's devastated father broke down as he spoke about the death of his own child. </p> <p>"There are people who came home a while back who were looking for Kiptum, but they refused to identify themselves," Cheruiyot recalled. </p> <p>"I asked them to provide identification, but they opted to leave. It was a group of four people."</p> <p>He also recalled the moment he found out about his son's death. </p> <p>"I got the news of my son's death while I was watching the news," Kiptum's father said.</p> <p>"I went to the scene of the accident but the police had taken the body to Eldoret."</p> <p>Kiptum broke the marathon world record that was previously held by Eliud Kipchoge, after storming through the race in Chicago in just two hours and 35 seconds.</p> <p>Cheruiyot said that he last spoke to his son a day before his death. </p> <p>"He told me someone will come and help us build a house," he said.</p> <p>"He said that his body is now fit and he can now run for 1:59.</p> <p>"Kiptum was my only child. He has left me, his mum and his kids. I have no other child. His mum was sick for a while. Right now I'm deeply saddened."</p> <p><em>Images: Getty</em></p>

Legal

Placeholder Content Image

World record holder dies tragically at age 24

<p>Marathon world record holder Kelvin Kiptum has tragically died at the age of 24. </p> <p>The Kenyan athlete and his his coach, Rwanda's Gervais Hakizimana, both passed away after a horrific traffic collision on Monday, that occurred in western Kenya. </p> <p>The crash happened on a road between the towns of Eldoret and Kaptagat, where a noted high-altitude training centre for long-distance athletes is located. </p> <p>In October 2023, Kiptum set the world record of 2 hours and 35 seconds at the Chicago Marathon.</p> <p>The record was only made official by World Athletics on February 7th, just five days before his untimely death.</p> <p>Kenya's Sports Minister Ababu Namwamba spoke out on Kiptum's death, writing on X, "Devastatingly sickening!! Kenya has lost a special gem. Lost for words."</p> <p>Former prime minister Raila Odinga described Kiptum as a "Kenyan athletics icon" in a statement on social media, writing, "Devastating news as we mourn the loss of a remarkable individual."</p> <p>"My deepest condolences to his loved ones, friends, and the entire athletics fraternity."</p> <div data-component="EmphasisedText"> <p>"Our nation grieves the profound loss of a true hero."</p> <p>After making his marathon debut just over a year ago, Kiptum <span style="font-family: abcsans, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">ran three of the fastest seven marathons in history during his brief </span><span style="font-family: abcsans, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, Segoe UI, Roboto, Helvetica Neue, Arial, sans-serif;">career. </span></p> <p><span style="font-family: abcsans, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, Segoe UI, Roboto, Helvetica Neue, Arial, sans-serif;">The Kenyan athlete had declared his goals to take home a gold medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics in the weeks before his death. </span></p> <p><em><span style="font-family: abcsans, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, Segoe UI, Roboto, Helvetica Neue, Arial, sans-serif;">Image credits: Getty Images </span></em></p> </div>

Caring

Placeholder Content Image

Melissa Doyle “bursting with pride” in a heartwarming tribute to her daughter

<p dir="ltr">Former Channel 7 star and TV personality Melissa Doyle has shared a touching tribute to her daughter on social media, confessing her pride in the 19-year-old on their “extra special” visit to Kenya.</p> <p dir="ltr">The pair were in the country with humanitarian aid organisation World Vision - Melissa had been an ambassador of World Vision Goodwill for nearly two decades. And while this was not the former <em>Sunrise</em> host’s first trip, it was her first alongside daughter Talia.</p> <p dir="ltr">Melissa shared a series of pictures of her, Talia, and the people they had met along the way to her Instagram account, writing “this is my beautiful baby girl, all grown up &amp; visiting a school in Kenya. My heart is bursting with pride.</p> <p dir="ltr">“It is such a privilege to see first hand the work @worldvisionaus is doing to give children access to health care &amp; education. To take Talia with me made it extra special.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Just five days prior, Melissa had mentioned the “precious trip” in another post, sharing her gratitude to <em>Women’s Weekly</em> magazine for accompanying them, and how special it was for Talia to “finally [be] able to join me on a field trip and see for herself just how important and special the work is.”</p> <p dir="ltr">In that post, she went on to explain how they had travelled to Kenya to see “farming regeneration projects, a child protection group, a Women’s Savings for Transformation group and to meet our 4 yo [year old] sponsor child Bridget.”</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CraLRoWrm-U/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CraLRoWrm-U/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Melissa Doyle (@melissadoyleofficial)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p dir="ltr">And on her Talia tribute post, friends and fans shared their pride in both Doyle’s, with many agreeing that it must have been a special time indeed.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Oh wow this is so special,” wrote producer Chezzi Denyer.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Wonderful trip to do together,” actress Danielle Spencer said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Extra special,” singer Tina Arena agreed.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Soo good for children who come from fortunate backgrounds to see the world is not all like their experiences,” one fan confessed. “I hope to show my kids how we need to give back to those less fortunate.”</p> <p dir="ltr">“What a special time for you both,” said another.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Daughter like mother! Proud kind Mama! So happy for you both,” one other supporter declared. “Making our fractured world a better place.”</p> <p dir="ltr">It isn’t the first time that Melissa had spoken out about her pride in her daughter, and in the things she’s on the path to achieve in life.</p> <p dir="ltr">In 2021, she told <em>Women’s Weekly</em> that she believes Talia would do “great things”.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I’m very proud of my young woman of the future,” she said, “and what she will do next. I’m excited for her and for all of us.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I hope that she has just seen that there is now every opportunity available and she makes the most of it, never wastes a moment and will just be the kind, gorgeous woman that she is.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: Instagram</em></p>

TV

Placeholder Content Image

Second Olympian killed in same town

<p dir="ltr">A second athlete has been killed in the same town that another Olympian was killed in just a year ago.</p> <p dir="ltr">Kenyan born Damaris Muthee Mutua was found in the town of Iten in western Kenya on Tuesday, the same town record-breaking distance runner Agnes Tirop was found dead in.</p> <p dir="ltr">Police have launched a manhunt for Mutua’s Ethopian boyfriend who is believed to have been the last person to see her. </p> <p dir="ltr">“According to Mutua’s immediate neighbour, her boyfriend was seen in the house on Sunday morning. It’s likely that the incident happened late Saturday or early Sunday since the body was in a state of decomposition,” county police chief Tom Makori told AFP.</p> <p dir="ltr">“We have launched a manhunt for the Ethiopian who is believed to have fled the country.”</p> <p dir="ltr">The 28-year-old was a junior athlete and two times bronze medalist at the 2010 Summer Youth Olympics in Singapore and the East African junior athletics championships in Khartoum, Sudan before deciding to represent Bahrain. </p> <p dir="ltr">Her story is similar to Tirop who was only 25 when she was <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/news/news/lost-a-jewel-olympic-runner-found-stabbed-in-her-home" target="_blank" rel="noopener">found with stab wounds</a> in her abdomen and her husband missing in October last year. </p> <p dir="ltr">Athletics Kenya said the country had “lost a jewel who was one of the fastest-rising athletics giants on the international stage, thanks to her eye-catching performances.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta also paid tribute at the time, saying, “It is unsettling, utterly unfortunate and very sad that we’ve lost a young and promising athlete who, at a young age of 25 years, she had brought our country so much glory through her exploits on the global athletics stage including in this year’s 2020 Tokyo Olympics where she was part of the Kenyan team in Japan.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Twitter</em></p>

Caring

Placeholder Content Image

Kiwi millionaire found dead in Kenya

<p dir="ltr">Kiwi entrepreneur and teen millionaire Jake Millar has died in Kenya, eight months after moving there from New Zealand.</p> <p dir="ltr">The cause of the 26-year-old’s death has not been confirmed.</p> <p dir="ltr">Mr Millar, a former Forbes under 30 lister, sold the second of his businesses in February before moving to Kenya.</p> <p dir="ltr">Founded in 2015, Mr Millar's motivational video platform Unfiltered was worth $11.47 million at its peak, but was reportedly sold to consultancy group Crimson Education for about $84,000.</p> <p dir="ltr">The move upset investors - who accused him of poor management and a lack of transparency around the sale - and drew criticism from New Zealand media, with some comparing it to failed ventures such as WeWork and Fyre Festival.</p> <p dir="ltr">In an interview with<span> </span><em>The Spinoff</em><span> </span>in March, Mr Millar said moving halfway across the world would be the “massive shake up” he needed.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Life over the next 30 years is probably going to be very similar and very predictable,” Mr Millar explained.</p> <p dir="ltr">“So the question I asked myself is ‘what can I do to massively shake up the trajectory in an otherwise relatively predictable life?’ And the idea of moving to sub-Saharan Africa felt like shaking up that trajectory.</p> <p dir="ltr">“My business has commercially failed and I have no obligations anymore to a set of investors. I haven’t raised a fresh set of capital and I don’t owe my time to any venture. I really am able to go in any direction I want and try something new.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7846020/jake-millar1.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/ccc71b276c7d4ccf8cbaefea9e54bf2c" /></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Mr Millar posing with Sir Richard Branson, who he interviewed through Unfiltered. Image: news.com.au</em></p> <p dir="ltr">Since the news of his death broke, tributes have flowed in for the young entrepreneur from noteworthy businesspeople, including Sir John Kelly, the former New Zealand Prime Minister.</p> <p dir="ltr">“From the first time I met him, I knew he was someone special. He had a mixture of courage, warmness, intellect, and a maturity and strength to deal with adversity, which is never easy for a young person. I respected him and I will miss him,” he told the<span> </span><em>New Zealand Herald</em>.</p> <p dir="ltr">New Zealand actor and comedian Rhys Darby shared a tribute to Mr Millar on Twitter, writing, “Rest in Peace Jake Millar. I met him when he was 17 and he was inspiring then! He had such discipline and drive and a great sense of humour.”</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr">Like many, I was immediately struck by Jake Millar’s poise/energy &amp; love the focused intensity he brought to interviews. Many places to watch his storytelling w/ voices more famous, but forever grateful to have shared the <a href="https://twitter.com/TechweekNZ?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@TechweekNZ</a> stage in 2019 <br /><br />RIP 😔<a href="https://t.co/SHVZXbN5Zo">https://t.co/SHVZXbN5Zo</a> <a href="https://t.co/osAPbdmMQ6">pic.twitter.com/osAPbdmMQ6</a></p> — Savannah ✨Savvy✨ Peterson (@SavIsSavvy) <a href="https://twitter.com/SavIsSavvy/status/1465396763339083778?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 29, 2021</a></blockquote> <p dir="ltr">Some have also criticised Mr Millar’s treatment after he sold Unfiltered, with Crimson Education CEO Jamie Beaton saying it was reflective of broader issues.</p> <p dir="ltr">“New Zealand often suffocates ambition in its young people,” Mr Beaton said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I had never met anyone in New Zealand like Jake Millar. Jake had an ability to connect with people that was mesmerising.</p> <p dir="ltr">“He understood what drove people and could inspire them, drive them and unite them.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Another user blamed Mr Millar’s criticism and death on “Tall Poppy Syndrome”.</p> <p dir="ltr">“We don’t know Jake Millar’s cause of death; but we can be certain Tall Poppy Syndrome was a contributing factor,” entrepreneur Yoav Lurie wrote.</p> <p dir="ltr">“The way NZ cuts down those who strive to do big things always disgusts me.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Gutted for the loss; I was looking forward to his next thing.”</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr">Can't help but feel uneasy that the same media now reporting <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/JakeMillar?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#JakeMillar</a>'s passing is a tragedy, are the same media that tore him to shreds when he succeeded, and when he tried and failed. NZ Tall Poppy syndrome is the worst! RIP Jake, you were an inspiration.</p> — Brady Dyer (@BR4DY) <a href="https://twitter.com/BR4DY/status/1465175981325307909?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 29, 2021</a></blockquote> <p dir="ltr">Mr Millar first saw success after founding Oopher with his friend, Yuuki Ogino, while they were still in high school.</p> <p dir="ltr">The motivation app was later sold to Careers New Zealand, and the duo went on to create Unfiltered.</p> <p dir="ltr">In 2010, Mr Millar lost his father, Rod Millar, in a plane crash on New Zealand’s South Island. He explained the impact of the widely-publicised tragedy to<span> </span><em>The Spinoff</em>, pointing to it as one of the reasons he became “more controversial than (he) ever set out to be”.</p> <p dir="ltr">“As a young entrepreneur, some people would probably accuse me of having quite strong defence mechanisms,” he wrote in an email shared with the publication.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I have always stood up for what I have believed in and also against people I have felt wronged by, often even if they have been much wiser and more successful than me. When I reflect over my journey, I think this is one of the reasons I became, inadvertently, more controversial than I ever set out to be.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Getty Images</em></p>

Travel Trouble

Our Partners