Delilah Asiago, a former Kenyan athlete, is not well-known among the younger generation, but she is remembered warmly by sports fans as one of the world’s top long-distance runners for nearly two decades.
Asiago, who was known for her speed and agility, represented Kenya at major international competitions, winning gold medals in events such as the Steamboat Classic, where she set a world record, the All Africa Games, the World Championships, and the Bay to Breakers, where she set a 12 kilometer world record, among others.
In 1995, she was named Road Racer of the Year by Running Times.
Delilah Asiago, a former Kenyan athlete, competed in the Women’s 10,000-meter event at the 1991 IAAF World Championships, held in Tokyo’s Olympic Stadium in August 1991.
Despite his well-known name, the former World record holder is today impoverished.
Where did the best Kenyan athlete go wrong, from winning gold medals to harvesting tea in Cherangany, Trans Nzoia County?
Asiago told Citizen TV that her problems began in 1999, when she was banned for two years on drug charges. She justified herself by claiming that she became ill and took medicine that was later found to contain doping drugs.
In an attempt to recapture her lost glory, Asiago staged a remarkable comeback in 2002, winning medals at the Great Lake Marathon, the Nairobi Marathon, the Rotterdam Marathon, and the Dubai Marathon.
As the final race of her career, she competed at the 2008 Cross-Country Ngong racetrack.
According to estimates, the Dubai marathon is one of the most profitable sporting events in the world, with the winner receiving Ksh20 million plus an additional Ksh10 million for breaking the world record.
However, she revealed more than a decade later that her life had taken a turn for the worst as she tried to make ends meet.
Part of the millions she won throughout the competitions, according to the former athlete, was used to build a house.
Part of the millions she won throughout the tournaments, according to the former athlete, was used to build a house for her parents in Nakuru. She also ventured into additional property investments, but she is today unable to account for all of the millions she amassed during her heydays.
The marathoner pleaded with the government to intervene and protect athletes from abysmal poverty.
Asiago also advised all athletes to set aside a portion of their earnings for future usage.
“To all athletes, please try and save part of the money you get after winning the events. Do not try and misuse the money otherwise you may end up in an unfortunate situation picking tea at a farm,” Asiago advised all Kenyan athletes.
Her plight comes on the heels of Kenyan athletes shining during the recently held 2020 Tokyo Olympics where they scooped ten medals comprising of four gold, four silver, and two bronze medals.
