12/09/2026
FROM MARATHON GLORY TO SURVIVAL
Former Kenyan Marathon Star Beatrice Murugi Battling Poverty, Illness After Career Glory
Written By Festus Yele Alemede
The Trumpet Online News
Former Kenyan professional marathoner Beatrice Murugi, who once represented Kenya on the international athletics stage, is reportedly facing severe financial hardship, chronic health challenges, and personal difficulties after years of sporting success.
Murugi’s story has drawn renewed public attention after reports and social media posts highlighted her current struggle to make ends meet through casual labour.
From International Athletics to Building a Better Life
During her professional running career, Murugi competed in Japan and other countries, earning prize money that she used to improve the lives of her family members.
Among her reported achievements were paying for her siblings’ education and building a permanent home for her mother.
She also attempted to secure her financial future by purchasing land in Nyahururu and investing in a commercial lorry, hoping the vehicle would provide her with a reliable source of income after her athletics career.
Fatal Lorry Crash Changes Everything
According to reports, Murugi’s fortunes took a dramatic turn after the commercial lorry was involved in a fatal road accident near Delmonte.
The situation was reportedly compounded by the vehicle’s insurance having expired. Murugi is said to have been unaware that the insurance was no longer valid, with the driver allegedly failing to inform her.
Without insurance cover to absorb the resulting costs, she reportedly became responsible for substantial medical expenses, legal obligations, and compensation-related claims arising from the accident.
The financial burden is said to have consumed much of the savings she had accumulated during her athletics career, leaving her in a precarious financial position.
Health Crisis Adds to Her Struggles
Murugi’s financial difficulties were reportedly followed by a serious health crisis.
In 2021, she developed a persistent and painful stomach-bloating condition that, according to accounts attributed to her, has not been successfully resolved despite seeking medical treatment.
The illness has reportedly affected her physical strength and ability to work, making an already difficult financial situation even more challenging.
Alleged Abandonment
Her personal circumstances reportedly deteriorated further when her husband allegedly left her and their 10-year-old child during her illness.
Reports claim that the family was moved into a modest rental room, with her husband allegedly telling her that her illness was becoming a burden to him and that he intended to marry another woman.
Surviving Through Casual Labour
Murugi is now reportedly living in a small, low-cost rental room in Kerugoya, where she struggles to provide for herself and her child.
Despite her health challenges, she is said to be undertaking casual work, including tea picking and other physically demanding jobs, simply to put food on the table.
The circumstances are a stark contrast to the life she once enjoyed as an international athlete who earned recognition representing Kenya abroad.
Calls for Intervention
Murugi’s reported plight has sparked concern among Kenyans and athletics enthusiasts, with calls growing on social media for relevant authorities and sporting organisations to intervene.
Some members of the public are urging Athletics Kenya and the Ministry of Sports to investigate her circumstances and consider providing assistance, particularly with medical treatment and rehabilitation, while helping her find a sustainable means of supporting herself and her child.
Her story has also reignited broader questions about the welfare of retired athletes and whether former sports stars receive adequate support after their competitive careers come to an end.
The case of Beatrice Murugi serves as a sobering reminder that international sporting success does not always guarantee long-term financial security. It also highlights the importance of effective athlete welfare programmes that can support sportsmen and women when injury, illness, accidents or retirement abruptly change their circumstances.
Editor’s note: The Trumpet Online News has presented the above account based on the information supplied and social-media reports. Specific claims concerning the accident, insurance status, medical condition and family circumstances should be independently verified before being treated as established fact.
The Trumpet Online News
