TMZ-style behind the scenes in Rio - who was the jerk athlete?

Actually wrote:

I ran into Asbel Kiprop at a supermercado in Rio a couple weeks ago. I told him how cool it was to meet him in person, but I didn’t want to be a douche and bother him and ask him for photos or anything.

He said, “Oh, like you’re doing now?”

I was taken aback, and all I could say was “Huh?” but he kept cutting me off and going “huh? huh? huh?” and closing his hand shut in front of my face. I walked away and continued with my shopping, and I heard him chuckle as I walked off. When I came to pay for my stuff up front I saw him trying to walk out the doors with like fifteen Milky Ways in his hands without paying.

The girl at the counter was very nice about it and professional, and was like “Sir, you need to pay for those first.” At first he kept pretending to be tired and not hear her, but eventually turned back around and brought them to the counter.

When she took one of the bars and started scanning it multiple times, he stopped her and told her to scan them each individually “to prevent any electrical infetterence,” and then turned around and winked at me. I don’t even think that’s a word. After she scanned each bar and put them in a bag and started to say the price, he kept interrupting her by yawning really loudly.

TrackCoach wrote:

Actually wrote:

I ran into Asbel Kiprop at a supermercado in Rio a couple weeks ago. I told him how cool it was to meet him in person, but I didn’t want to be a douche and bother him and ask him for photos or anything.

He said, “Oh, like you’re doing now?”

I was taken aback, and all I could say was “Huh?” but he kept cutting me off and going “huh? huh? huh?” and closing his hand shut in front of my face. I walked away and continued with my shopping, and I heard him chuckle as I walked off. When I came to pay for my stuff up front I saw him trying to walk out the doors with like fifteen Milky Ways in his hands without paying.

The girl at the counter was very nice about it and professional, and was like “Sir, you need to pay for those first.” At first he kept pretending to be tired and not hear her, but eventually turned back around and brought them to the counter.

When she took one of the bars and started scanning it multiple times, he stopped her and told her to scan them each individually “to prevent any electrical infetterence,” and then turned around and winked at me. I don’t even think that’s a word. After she scanned each bar and put them in a bag and started to say the price, he kept interrupting her by yawning really loudly.

As crazy as this story sounds, I would not be surprised if it is legit. Kenyan athletes will hoard whatever they think they can get away with. Kenyan athletes and even the Kenyan government by nature are very frugal except when it comes to themselves and perhaps their family. I guess they need to be when they only get to keep less than 1/4th of their earnings. Over the decades, there have been many rich Kenyan athletes, millionaires by Kenyan standards, yet they put almost nothing back into supporting grass roots track and field in their country. I would not be surprised if Asbel thought since he was a star athlete, he would not be charged for the candy bars.

watcher of kenyans wrote:

TrackCoach wrote:

As crazy as this story sounds, I would not be surprised if it is legit. Kenyan athletes will hoard whatever they think they can get away with. Kenyan athletes and even the Kenyan government by nature are very frugal except when it comes to themselves and perhaps their family. I guess they need to be when they only get to keep less than 1/4th of their earnings. Over the decades, there have been many rich Kenyan athletes, millionaires by Kenyan standards, yet they put almost nothing back into supporting grass roots track and field in their country. I would not be surprised if Asbel thought since he was a star athlete, he would not be charged for the candy bars.

In Atlanta, I saw Paul Tergat dump an entire pan of Macaroni and Cheese into his backpack and then walk out of Old Country Buffet.

strikingest wrote:

Actually wrote:

I ran into Asbel Kiprop at a supermercado in Rio a couple weeks ago. I told him how cool it was to meet him in person, but I didn’t want to be a douche and bother him and ask him for photos or anything.

He said, “Oh, like you’re doing now?”

I was taken aback, and all I could say was “Huh?” but he kept cutting me off and going “huh? huh? huh?” and closing his hand shut in front of my face. I walked away and continued with my shopping, and I heard him chuckle as I walked off. When I came to pay for my stuff up front I saw him trying to walk out the doors with like fifteen Milky Ways in his hands without paying.

The girl at the counter was very nice about it and professional, and was like “Sir, you need to pay for those first.” At first he kept pretending to be tired and not hear her, but eventually turned back around and brought them to the counter.

When she took one of the bars and started scanning it multiple times, he stopped her and told her to scan them each individually “to prevent any electrical infetterence,” and then turned around and winked at me. I don’t even think that’s a word. After she scanned each bar and put them in a bag and started to say the price, he kept interrupting her by yawning really loudly.

I love this story