Former Olympic champion Asbel Kiprop has joined the list of Kenyan athletes who have survived motorcycle crashes in recent years.
Photos of the the three-time world 1,500m champion were on Thursday and Friday circulated on social media with stitches on his face and head from injuries sustained in a motorcycle accident a week ago.
The veteran athlete, who is just smarting from a doping ban, dismissed claims that he suffered the injuries in a night club brawl.
“It was a bad feeling when I was involved in a road accident. It was not a bad one and I am now fine,” he said on Friday morning.
Kiprop clarified that the accident happened on Friday last week as he was heading to his farm at Simat village, Uasin Gishu County.
“It was on a Friday afternoon when the incident happened while heading to one of my farms back in the village. It was on a murram road not bar fighting as I have been reading on social media,” he clarified.
“After the incident, I went to Eldoret hospital where I was treated and I am now back home recuperating well,” he added.
Kiprop is the latest renowned athlete to be involved in a motorcycle crush.
Two-time New York Marathon champion Geoffrey Kamworor, and two-time world under 20 steeplechase champion, Celliphine Chepteek Chespol, have also had motorcycle accidents in recent years.
Kiprop advised riders and pillion passengers to always wear their helmets.